OF  THF- 

iRsiTY  OF  California 

^Mrs.  SARAH  P.  WALSWORTH. 

Received  October,  i8g4. 
z/iu  cessions  No.Sip^S^  '  -i   Clms-hJo,  .^ . 


ILLIJSTRATIYE  GATHERINGS. 


ILLUSTEATIVE  GATHERINGS 


PREACHERS  AND  TEACHERS. 


A   MANUAL    OF   ANECDOTES,   FACTS,   FIGURES, 
PROVERBS,   QUOTATIONS,  ETC. 


JiiapteJr  f0r^^ristian  f^atlmg. 


BT   THE 

Rev.   Gr.   S.  BOWES,  B.A., 

BECTOR   OP   CHILLENDEN,    KENT,    AND    LATE    SCHOLAR   OP    CORPUS    CHRISTI 
COLLEGE,    CAMBRIDGE. 


SECOND     SERIKl 


^^^  OF  TH)^     ^ 

'UFIVEESITT 


PHILADELPHIA. 
PERKINPINE   &   HIGGINS 

No  66  NORTH  FOURTH  STT:EE7. 


bMf^ 


OAXTOK    FKBSS    OF 
SHEKHAN    &    CO.,    PHILADELPHIA. 


i 


J<=> 


PREFACE 


In  presenting  a  Second  Series  of  Illustrative  Grather- 
ings  to  the  Church,  the  author  must  apologize  for  the 
delay  which  has  occurred  in  its  appearance.  The  very- 
kind  reception  the  First  Series  met  with, — its  extensive 
sale, — the  general  and  cofdi^l'  approbation  of  the  press, 
combined  with  the  many  testimonies  to  its  usefulness  re- 
ceived privately, — furnished  the  greatest  encouragement 
to  believe  that  a  second  volume  would  be  as  kindly  wel- 
comed. It  has  been  chiefly  the  desire  to  make  the  second 
equal,  if  not  superior,  to  the  first,  which  has  made  the 
author  spend  longer  time  than  was  intended  in  its  care- 
ful preparation. 

As  the  plan  of  the  two  volumes  is  substantially  the 
same,  little  need  be  said  by  way  of  preface  to  the  second. 
The  only  difference  which  calls  for  remark  is  the  omis- 
sion of  the  texts  of  Scripture  placed  at  the  beginning  of 
many  of  the  articles  in  the  former  volume.  It  was  de- 
signed to  follow  the  same  plan  in  this  also :  but  as  the 
work  grew  by  constant  accumulation  under  the  author's 


1* 


b  PREFACE. 

hand,  tie  found  the  quantity  of  matter  at  command  ^as 
far  too  large  to  be  comprised  in  one  volume,  without 
greatly  enlarging  the  size  and  price,  which  he  felt  reluct- 
ant to  do.  The  better  plan  therefore  seemed  to  be,  to 
omit  the  Scripture  references  and  illustrations  here ;  and, 
should  he  be  spared,  to  bring  out  before  long  another 
volume,  consisting  entirely  of  illustrations  of  Scripture, 
which  is  already  far  advancing  in  preparation.  At  the 
same  time,  there  will  be  found  in  this  volume  a  consid- 
erable number  of  texts  illustrated  (though  not  printed 
in  small  type  as  before,)  so  that  the  seeming  difference  is 
really  slight. 

Having  referred  in  the  Preface  to  the  First  Series  to 
the  use  of  illustrations,  the  author  will  not  add  more 
to  what  he  has  there  said.  Of  their  value  and  power 
there  can  be  no  doubt.  It  is  one  of  those  points  on 
which  all  agree.  The  chief  difficulty  is  to  find  them 
ready  at  hand  when  wanted,  sound  in  doctrine  and  cor- 
rect in  taste,  pithy,  pointed,  and  forcible ;  and  to  use 
them  with  discretion.  Without  disparaging  the  labors 
of  others  who  may  be  engaged  in  the  same  field,  the 
author  would  only  say  that  no  small  labor  and  care 
have  been  spent  in  the  "  gathering  "  of  those  included 
in  this  volume ;  and  he  now  commits  it  to  the  great 
Head  of  the  Church,  with  the  earnest  prayer  that  it  may 
be  made  useful  in  the  setting  forth  "  the  truth"  with  in- 
terest and  power  ;,  that  as  the  feathers  that  wing  an  arrow 


PREFACE.  \  .  T 

pierce  not  like  the  head,  yet  help  the  shaft  to  fly,  so  the 
thoughts  of  the  wise  here  collected  may  be  as  "  winged 
words  "  to  many  hearts,  going  forth  with  His  blessing 
who  can  use  all  instruments  for  his  own  glory. 

G.  S.  Bowes. 

Chillbndbn  Rectory, 
December,  1864. 


0^j^f^  P_^-  -^-^„':-; 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 


ABILITIES. 

"  Christ  sendeth  forth  none  to  preach  but  whom  he 
gifteth ;  where  the  comfort  is,  that  a  small  hand  may 
thread  a  needle,  and  a  little  bark  do  better  in  a  small 
river  than  a  great  ship." — Trapp, 

"  The  raven  was  an  unclean  bird ;  God  makes  use 
of  her  to  feed  Elijah :  though  she  was  not  good  meat, 
yet  it  was  good  meat  she  brought.  A  lame  man  may 
with  his  crutch  point  out  to  you  the  right  way,  and  yet 
not  be  able  to  walk  in  it  himself." — Mead. 

"Never  grieve,  dearest  love,  at  the  -mint  of  gifts. 
I  find  the  few  bestowed  on  me  the  heaviest  weights  in 
my  race, — the  gates  oftenest  open  for  the  entrance  of 
the  enemy.  The  gift  of  a  broken  and  contrite  spirit  is 
better  than  the  tongues  of  angels,  and  the  faith  that  can 
remove  mountains." — Helen  Plumptre. 

"  Gifts  are  as  gold  that  adorns  the  temple ;  grace  is 
like  the  temple  that  sanctifies  the  gold." — Burhitt. 

"The  graces  of  the  intellect  are  Uke  the  various 
colors  of  the  butterfly's  wing,  which,  while  they  please 
the  eye,  keep  it  not  from  the  fire  by  which  it  is  destroyed." 
— Balfour. 

9 


10  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

ADVENT,  SECOND. 

"  Christ's  first  coming  was  the  expectation  of  nations, 
this  next  is  the  expectation  of  Christians.  ^  Look  up, 
and  lift  up  your  heads,  for  your  redemption  draweth 
nigh.'  (Luke  xxi.  28.)  Our  eyes  are  still  dropping  in 
this  valley  of  tears ;  but  we  look  for  the  precious  beams 
of  the  Sun  of  Mercy,  that  shall  dry  them  up.  No  Jew 
did  ever  more  earnestly  wish  for  the  Jubilee ;  no  servant 
so  desireth  the  end  of  his  years ;  no  stranger  so  longs 
to  be  at  home ;  no  overladen  soul  so  groaneth  for  ease ; 
no  soldier  so  heartily  contendeth  to  have  his  wars  deter- 
mined with  conquest,  as  the  saints  expect  the  promise 
of  the  coming  of  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  the  strength  of 
their  hopes,  the  sweet  object  of  their  faith,  in  the  midst 
of  all  sorrows ;  the  comfort  of  their  hearts,  the  heart 
of  their  comforts,  the  encouragement  of  their  wearied 
spirits,  the  hfe  of  their  encouraged  souls,  the  continual 
period  and  shutting  up  of  their  prayers.  *  Come,  Lord 
Jesus,  come  quickly.  Amen.'  " — Adams. 

"  Prophecy  alone  can  keep  us  in  impatient  patience, 
even  in  the  sipirit  of  Lot." — Ladi/  Powerscourt. 

Assize  Trumpet. — "  Did  you  ever  hear  the  sound  of 
the  trumpets,  which  are  blown  before  the  Judges,  as  they 
come  into  a  city  to  open  the  assizes  ?  Did  you  ever  re- 
flect how  different  are  the  feelings  which  those  trumpets 
awaken  in  the  minds  of  different  men  ?  The  innocent 
man,  who  has  no  cause  to  be  tried,  hears  them  unmoved. 
They  proclaim  no  terrors  to  him.  He  listens  and  looks 
on  quietly,  and  is  not  afraid.  But  often  "there  is  some 
poor  wretch  waiting  his  trial,  in  a  silent  cell,  to  whom 
those  trumpets  are  a  knell  of  despair.  They  tell  him 
that  the  day  of  trial  is  at  hand.     Yet  a  little  time,  and ' 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  ll 

he  will  stand  at  the  bar  of  justice,  and  hear  witness  after 
witness  telling  the  story  of  his  misdeeds.  Yet  a  little 
time  and  all  will  be  over ;  the  trial,  the  verdict,  the  sen- 
tence ;  and  there  will  remain  nothing  for  him  but  pun- 
ishment and  disgrace.  No  wonder  the  prisoner's  heart 
beats  when  he  hears  the  trumpet's  sound  !  So  shall  the 
sound  be  of  the  arch-angel's  trump." — Rev.  I.  Q,  Ryle. 

AFFLICTIONS. 

"Sanctified  afflictions  are  spiritual  promotions." — 
Dodd. 

"  Afflictions  are  blessings,  when  we  can  bless  God  for 
afflictions." 

"No  affliction  would  trouble  a  child  of  God,  if  he 
but  knew  God's  reason  for  sending  it." 

"  God  may  cast  thee  down,  but  he  will  not  cast  thee 
off:'— Case. 

"Adversity,  like  winter  weather,  is  of  use  to  kill 
those  vermin,  which  the  summer  of  prosperity  is  apt  to 
produce  and  nourish." — Arrowsmith. 

"  Every  vessel  of  mercy  must  be  scoured  in  order  to 
brightness.  And  however  trees  in  the  wilderness  may 
grow  without  cultivation,  trees  in  the  garden  must  be 
pruned  to  be  made  fruitful;  and  corn-fields  must  be 
broken  up,  when  barren  heaths  are  left  untouched." — 
Arrowsmith. 

"A  great  deal  of  rust  requires  a  rough  file." — Moses 
Browne. 

"  The  wise  Lord  loves  to  feed  us  with  hunger,  and 
make  us  fat  with  wants  and  desertions." — Rutherford. 

"Adversity  is  the  prosperity  of  a  good  man." 


12  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

"  If  prosperity  doth  best  discover  our  vices,  adversity 
doth  best  our  virtues." — Bacon. 

"  Extraordinary  afflictions  are  not  always  the  punish- 
ment of  extraordinary  sins,  but  sometimes  the  trial  of 
extraordinary  graces." — Henry. 

"If  God  does  not  prevent  the  evil  of  affliction,  he 
will  prevent  the  evil  in  affliction  to  his  saints." — Swin- 
noek. 

"  In  sickness  let  me  not  so  much  say,  Am  I  getting 
better  of  my  pain,  as  am  I  getting  better  for  it?" — 
Macduff. 

"  I  believe  we  often  lose  deep  joys,  because  we  are 
afraid  of  deep  sorrows." — '''Doing  and  Suffering.'" 

"Nothing  but  the  cross  of  Christ,  can  make  other 
crosses  straight." — Q.  W.  Mylne. 

"  The  Christian  never  falls  asleep  in  the  fire  or  in 
the  water,  but  grows  drowsy  in  the  sunshine." — Ber- 
ridge. 

"  Christ  is  the  best  Physician ;  he  never  takes  down 
the  wrong  bottle." — Berridge. 

"  Afflictions  ai-e  God's  hired  laborers,  to  break  the 
clods  and  plough  the  lands." 

"We  often  live  under  a  cloud,  and  it  is  well  for  us 
that  we  should  do  so.  Uninterrupted  sunshine  would 
parch  our  hearts.  We  want  shade  and  rain  to  cool  and 
refresh  them." — Gruesses  at  Truth. 

"  Manasseh's  chain  was  more  profitable  to  him  than 
his  crown." 

"  No  good  man  would  exchange  his  adversity  for  the 
prosperity  of  a  bad  man." 

"  Christian !  hath  not  God  taught  thee  by  his  word 
and  Spirit  how  to  read  the  short-hand  of  his  providence  ? 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  13 

Dost  thou  not  know  that  the  saints'  afflictions  stand  for 
blessings  ?" — CrurnaU, 

"In  times  of  affliction  we  commonly  meet  with  the 
sweetest  experiences  of  the  love  of  God." — Bunyan. 

"  Suppose  a  sweeping  shower  should  upon  a  sudden 
fall,  and  wash  away  the  loose  dust  that  lies  upon  your 
ground;  would  you  count  this  a  loss  of  your  land? 
Would  any  of  you  be  troubled  at  this,  as  being  bereaved 
of  a  part  of  your  estate.  Truly  to  the  child  of  God  all 
the  things  of  the  world  are  no  other ;  and  if  a  tempest 
of  providence  suddenly  sweeps  them  away,  he  is  not 
troubled  at  it ;  he  counts  it  no  loss  of  his  inheritance ; 
the  dust  only  is  washed  away,  but  the  land  is  safe  still." 
— Hophins. 

Christ's  fan  and  Satan's  sieve. — "  We  may  ob- 
serve in  this  the  difference  between  Christ  and  the 
tempter.  Christ  hath  his  fan  in  his  hand,  and  he 
fanneth  us ;  the  devil  hath  a  sieve  in  his  hand,  and  he 
sifteth  us.  Now  a  fan  casteth  out  the  worst  and  keepeth 
in  the  best ;  a  sieve  keepeth  in  the  worst  and  casteth  out 
the  best.  So  Christ  and  his  trials  purgeth  chaff  and  cor- 
ruption out  of  us,  and  nourisheth  his  graces  in  us.  Con- 
trariwise, the  devil,  what  evil  soever  is  in  us,  he  confirm- 
eth  it ;  what  faith  or  good  thing  soever,  he  weakeneth 
it." — Trapp, 

Dusky  colors. — "  God  often  lays  the  sum  of  his 
amazing  providences  in  very  dismal  afflictions ;  as  the 
iimner  first  puts  on  the  dusky  colors,  on  which  he  in- 
tends to  draw  the  portraiture  of  some  illustrious  beauty. 
.  .  .  The  Church  grows  by  tears  and  withers  by  smiles." 
— Char  nock, 

2 


14  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

The  fire  burning  brighter, 

Mrs.  Savage  writes  one  winter  in  her  Diary, — "  The  coals  coming 
to  the  fire  with  ice  upon  them,  at  first  seemed  as  though  they  would 
put  out  the  fire,  but  afterwards  they  made  it  burn  more  fiercely.  I 
had  this  meditation.  It  is  often  so  with  me.  That  which  seems 
against  me  is  really  for  me.  Have  not  afflictions  worked  for  my  good  ? 
Sometimes  I  have  gone  to  an  ordinance,  as  these  coals  to  the  fire,  all 
cold  and  frozen,  and  there  I  have  been  melted.  My  love  and  desire 
have  been  inflamed.  That  it  hath  not  oftener  been  so,  has  been  my 
own  fault." 

"Sweet  are  the  uses  of  adversity." 

"There  is  a  certain  pleasure  and  sweetness  in  the  cross  to  them  who 
have  their  senses  exercised  to  discern  and  to  find  it  out.  There  is  a 
certain  sweetness  in  one's  seeing  himself  upon  his  trials  for  heaven, 
and  standing  candidate  for  glory;  there  is  a  pleasure  in  traveling 
over  these  mountains  where  the  Christian  can  see  the  prints  of  Christ's 
own  feet,  and  the  footsteps  of  the  flock  who  have  been  before  him. 
How  pleasant  is  it  to  a  saint  in  the  exercise  of  grace  to  see  how  a 
good  God  crosseth  his  corrupt  inclinations,  and  prevents  his  folly ! 
Of  a  truth  there  is  a  paradise  within  this  thorn-hedge.  Many  a  time 
the  people  of  God  are  in  bonds  which  are  never  loosed  till  they  be 
bound  with  cords  of  affliction.  God  takes  them  and  throws  them  into 
a  fiery  furnace  that  burns  off"  their  bonds ;  and  then,  like  the  three 
children,  Dan.  iii.  25,  they  are  loose,  walking  in  the  midst  of  the  fire, 
God  gives  his  children  a  potion,  with  one  bitter  ingredient  ,•  if  that 
will  not  work  upon  them,  he  will  put  in  a  second,  and  so  on,  as  there 
is  need,  that  they  may  work  together  for  their  good  :  with  cross  winds 
he  hastens  them  to  their  harbor.  Worldly  things  are  often  such 
a  load  to  the  Christian  that  he  moves  but  very  slowly  heavenward. 
God  sends  a  wind  of  trouble  that  blows  the  burden  off  his  back  ;  and 
then  he  walks  more  speedily  on  his  way,  after  God  hath  drawn  some 

.  gilded  earth  from  him  that  was  drawing  his  heart  away  from  God." — 
Boston. 

No  vessel  of  gold  is  moulded  without  the  furnace. 
.  "  It  seems  as  evident  as  noon-day  that  the  same  love  which  prompted 

the  Saviour  to  bear  the  curse  for  us,  would  have  led  him  to  bear  all 
afflictions  for  us,  were  it  not  absolutely  necessary  that  we  should  suffer 
in  our  own  persons." — Dr.  Payson. 

Love  mixing  the  cup. 

"Oh!"  said  one  (a  youth  aged  only  twenty-one  years,)  when  con- 
flicting with  the  last  enemy,  "when  I  have  most  pain  in  my  body  I 
have  most  comfort  in  my  soul.     What  is  all  I  have  gone  through  to 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  15 

what  Christ  suffered  when  he,  in  the  extremity  of  his  pain,  cried,  *  I 
thirst?'  He  had  none  but  enemies  about  him,  and  they  gave  him  vine- 
gar to  drink ;  but  when  I  am  thirsty  every  one  is  contriving  the  most 
salutary  and  pleasant  draught  for  me.  I  would  not  exchange  condi- 
tion with  the  greatest  monarch  in  the  world.  I  do  not  doubt  but  that 
there  is  love  in  the  bottom  of  this  cup ;  it  is  bitter  in  the  mouth. 
However,  for  all  that,  I  would  not  go  a  moment  before  God's  time  is 
fully  come;  and  I  am  sure  that  when  all  is  over  I  shall  adore  the 
mercy  and  the  wisdom  of  this  dispensation." 

ALMOST  CHRISTIANS. 

"  Half-way  to  Christ  is  a  dreadful  place." — J.  H. 
Evans. 

"  Take  you  heed — to  b9  near  the  life-boat  is  different 
to  being  in  it, — take  you  heed." — J.  H.  Evans. 

"  This  near  miss  of  happiness  is  a  great  misery." — 
Leighton. 

"  Some  are  deceived  with  a  half-work,  taking '  con- 
viction for  conversion,  reformation  for  regeneration. 
We  have  many  mermaid  Christians;  or,  like  Nebu- 
chadnezzar's image,  head  of  gold  and  feet  of  clay. 
The  devil  cheats  most  men  by  putting  a  part  for  the 
whole;  partial  obedience  to  some  commands,  for  uni- 
versal obedience  to  all.  Endless  are  the  delusions 
that  Satan  fastens  upon  souls  for  want  of  this  self- 
search.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  that  we  try  our 
state,  lest  we  take  the  shadow  for  the  substance." — 
Mead, 

"  The  ALTOGETHER  CHRISTIAN  is  much  in  duty,  and 
yet  much  above  duty ;  much  in  duty  in  regard  of  per- 
formances, and  much  above  duty  in  regard  of  depend- 
ance ;  much  in  duty  by  obeying,  but  much  above  duty 
by  believing.  He  lives  in  his  obedience,  tut  he  does  not 
live  upon  his  obedience,  but  upon  Christ  and  his  right- 
eousness.    The  almost  Christian  fails  in  this.     He  ia 


16  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

much  in  duty,  but  not  above  it,  but  rests  in  it ;  he  works 
for  rest,  and  he  rests  in  his  works.  He  cannot  come  to 
believe  and  obey  too ;  if  he  believes,  then  he  thinks 
there  is  no  need  of  obedience,  and  so  casts  off  that ;  if 
he  be  much  in  obedience,  then  he  casts  off  believing,  and 
thinks  there  is  no  need  of  that.  He  cannot  say  with 
David,  '  I  have  hoped  for  thy  salvation,  and  done  thy 
commandments.'  The  more  a  man  is  in  duty,  and  the 
more  above  it ;  the  more  in  doing,  and  more  in  believing, 
the  more  a  Christian." — Mead. 

"  He  that  is  but  almost  a  Christian,  hopes  for  heaven, 
but  unless  he  be  altogether  a  Christian  he  shall  never 
come  there.  Now  to  perish  with  hopes  of  heaven ;  to 
go  to  hell  by  the  gates  of  glory ;  to  come  to  the  very 
door,  and  then  be  shut  out,  as  the  five  virgins  were ;  to 
die  in  the  wilderness,  within  the  sight  of  the  promised 
land,  at  the  very  brinks  of  Jordan ;  this  must  needs  be 
sad.  To  come  within  a  stride  of  the  goal,  and  yet  miss 
it ;  to  sink  within  sight  of  harbor ;  oh,  how  uncom- 
fortable is  this  !" — Mead. 

It  is  terrible  to  remember  the  quenched  strivings 
of  the  Spirit  which  will  rise  in  judgment  against  many 
almost  Christians.  "  There  have  been  times  when  the 
lost  sinner  was  'not  far  from  the  kingdom'  of  God; 
times  when  life  had  chastened  and  subdued  him ;  or  when 
it  had  startled  him  into  thought ;  times  when  he  proved 
the  emptiness  of  his  creature-delights,  and  said  of  them, 
*  Vanity  of  vanities,  all  is  vanity.'  Then,  perhaps,  he 
came  very  near  the  gate  of  the  kingdom :  he  took  the 
knocker  in  his  hand ;  he  even  knocked  faintly,  and  heard 
the  cry,  '  Come  in.'  One  step  more  and  he  had  been 
saved ;  but  then  Satan  grew  uneasy,  and  he  dressed  up 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  17 

the  objects  of  time  and  sense  with  such  fictitious  attrac- 
tions, he  shed  upon  them  such  unreal  light,  he  suggested 
how  well  it  would  be  to  secure  both  worlds,  that  the  sin- 
ner drew  back,  intending  to  return  at  a  more  convenient 
season." — "  Sayings  of  the  King.'' 

Just  missing  the  rope. 

A  man  is  drowning.  He  Tell  off  the  pier  head,  and  look !  Now 
you  see  his  head  just  above  the  -waves.  There !  he  has  caught  hold 
of  the  rope  those  men  have  thrown  to  him.  Now  he  has  it.  No !  he 
has  just  missed.  That  huge  wave  has  carried  him  further  out.  Noth- 
ing can  save  him  now.  Oh,  if  he  had  but  caught  the  rope,  when  he 
was  so  near  being  saved ! 

Lost  at  the  door. 

We  may  be  almost  home,  and  yet  be  lost.  The  bridge  vaasf  break 
just  as  we  are  placing  upon  it  our  last  step.  A  short  time  since,  a 
party  of  travelers  descending  from  Mount  "Washington  became  lost, 
and  groped  about,  till  one  of  the  number,  a  young  woman  of  delicate 
constitution,  sank  down  from  exhaustion,  and  died.  A  little  water 
might  have  saved  her  life;  or  the  warmth  of  home  have  restored  her. 
But  she  died  on  the  spot  just  as  daylight  was  breaking;  and  when, 
a  few  moments  afterwards,  her  companions  were  able  to  look  around, 
they  found  that  they  were  standing  but  a  few  rods  from  the  hotel 
which  they  had  left.  Thus  she  died,  and  they  were  lost,  «o  near  the 
door. 

AMUSEMENTS. 

*'  All  rivers,  small  or  large,  agree  in  one  character : 
they  like  to  lean  a  little  on  one  side ;  they  cannot  bear 
to  have  their  channels  deepest  in  the  middle,  but  will 
always,  if  they  can,  have  one  bank  to  sun  themselves 
upon,  and  another  to  cool  under :  one  shingly  shore  to 
play  over,  where  they  may  be  shallow  and  foolish  and 
childlike;  and  another  steep  shore,  under  which  they 
can  pause  and  purify  themselves  and  get  their  strength 
of  waves  fully  together  for  due  occasion.  Rivers  in  this 
way  are  just  like  wise  men,  who  keep  one  side  of  their 
2  • 


18  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

life  for  play  and  another  for  work  ;  and  can  be  brilliant^ 
and  chattering,  and  transparent,  when  they  are  at  ease, 
and  yet  take  deep  counsel  on  the  other  side,  when  they 
set  themselves  to  their  main  purpose.  And  rivers  are, 
just  in  this,  divided  also,  like  wicked  and  good  men ;  the 
good  rivers  have  serviceable  deep  places  all  along  their 
banks  that  ships  can  sail  in ;  but  the  wicked  rivers  go 
scooping  irregularly  under  their  banks,  until  they  get 
full  of  strangling  eddies  which  no  boat  can  row  over 
without  being  twisted  against  the  rocks,  and  pools  like 
wells,  which  no  one  can  get  out  of,  but  the  water  Kelpie 
that  lives  at  the  bottom ;  but  wicked  or  good,  the  rivers 
all  agree  in  having  two  kinds  of  sides." — Buskin. 

"  When  the  soul  is  quite  at  ease,  then  it  may  conde- 
scend to  be  amused ;  but  a  hungry  soul  wants  bread." — 
J.  H.  Evans. 

"  The  best  test  in  all  these  things  (dress  and  amuse- 
ments) is,  Lord,  thou  seest  me,  and  I  shall  soon  see 
thee." — J.  H.  Evans. 

ANTIQUITY. 

"  We  are  often  referred  to  antiquity  in  these  our  days, 
and  no  child  of  God  that  loves  his  Bible  can  object  to 
this.  We  only  find  fault  that  they  do  not  go  hack  far 
enough.'' — J.  M.  Evans. 

ANSWERS  TO  PRAYER. 

"Prayer  is  the  breath  of  the  soul,  and  answered 
prayer  is  the  bread  of  the  soul." 

"Prayer,  like  Jonathan's  bow,  returns  not  empty. 
Never  was  faithful  prayer  lost  at  sea.  No  merchant 
trades  with  such  certainty  as  the  praying  saint ;  some 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  19 

prayers,  indeed,  have  a  longer  voyage  than  others,  but 
then  they  return  with  the  richer  lading  at  last." — Crur- 
nall. 

"  Look  once  again,  poor  heart,  into  thine  own  bosom, 
and  see  whether  thou  findest  not  some  strength  sent  in 
to  thee,  which  thou  didst  overlook  before ;  this  may  be, 
yea,  is  very  ordinary  in  this  case,  when  God  answers  our 
prayer  not  in  the  letter,  or  when  the  thing  itself  is  sent, 
but  it  comes  in  at  the  back  door,  while  we  are  expecting 
it  at  the  front ;  and  truly  thus  the  friend  thou  art  look- 
ing for  may  be  in  thine  house  and  thou  not  know  it.  Is 
not  this  thy  case,  poor  soul?" — Gurnall. 

Should  be  looked  for. — "  Clfildren  shoot  arrows  on 
purpose  to  lose  them,  and  never  so  much  as  look  where 
they  light ;  but  men,  when  they  shoot,  aim  at  the  mark, 
and  go  after  the  arrow  to  see  how  near  it  falls.  So 
wicked  carnal  men,  when  they  have  said,  not  made,  their 
prayers  to  Almighty  God ;  it  is  but  opus  operatum,  they 
have  no  more  regard  of  them.  But  God's  children, 
when  they  upon  the  bended  knees  of  their  souls  dart  out 
their  prayers,  when  they  pour  out  their  requests  unto 
him,  they  look  after  their  prayers,  eye  them  up  into 
heaven,  observe  how  God  entertains  them,  and  wait  for 
a  happy  return  at  his  good  will  and  pleasure." 

"  God  often  answers  the  prayer  of  his  people,  as  he 
did  the  seed  of  Isaac,  with  a  hundred-fold  increase. 
(Gen.  xxvi.  12.)  As  God's  word  never  returns  empty  to 
him,  so  the  prayers  of  his  servants  never  return  empty 
to  them ;  and  usually  the  crop  of  prayer  is  greater  than 
the  seed  out  of  which  it  grew ;  as  the  putting  in  of  a 
little  water  into  a  pump  makes  way  to  the  drawing  out  of 
a  great  deal  more.     As  the  cloud  which  rises  out  of  the 


20  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

earth  often  in  thin  and  insensible  vapors  falls  down  in 
abundant  showers ;  so  our  prayers,  which  ascend  weak 
and  narrow,  return  with  a  full  and  enlarged  answer  "— - 
Bishop  Reynolds 

^  When  poor  men  make  requests  to  us,  we  usually 
answer  them  as  the  echo  does  the  voice ;  the  answer  cuts 
off  half  the  petition.  Like  the  hypocrite  noticed  by  the 
apostle  (James  ii.  15,  16.)  We  shall  seldom  find  among 
men,  Jael's  courtesy  (Judges  v.  25,)  giving  milk  to  those 
that  ask  water,  except  it  be  as  his  was,  an  entangling 
benefit,  the  better  to  introduce  a  mischief.  There  are 
not  many  Naamans  among  us,  that,  when  you  beg  of 
them  one  talent,  will  f§rce  you  to  take  two  (2  Kings  v. 
23 ;)  but  God's  answer  to  our  prayers  is  like  a  multiply- 
ing glass,  which  renders  the  request  much  greater  in  the 
answer  than  it  was  in  the  prayer." — Bishop  Reynolds. 

"  Certainly  mercies  stop  not  at  God,  but  at  us.  We 
are  not  straitened  in  him,  but  straitened  in  our  own  bowels. 
If  there  come  but  a  little  light  into  a  room,  the  defect  is 
not  in  the  sun,  but  in  the  narrowness  of  the  window.  If 
a  vessel  fill  but  slowly,  the  fault  is  not  in  any  emptiness 
in  the  fountain,  but  the  smallness  of  the  pipe.  If 
mercies  ripen  slowly,  or  stop  at  any  time  in  the  way,  it 
is  not  because  they  are  unwilling  to  come  to  us,  but  be- 
cause we  are  unfit  to  enjoy  them.  Our  prayers  doubt- 
less, in  many  cases,  have  not  been  words  taken  from  the 
revealed  mind  of  God,  but  from  our  own  carnal  dictates." 
— Bishop  Reynolds. 

Sometimes  better  than  we  expected. — "It  may 
not  please  God  to  hear  me,  in  the  very  way  I  ask  or 
wish,  but  he  will  hear  and  answer  prayer.  Such  prayer 
has  been  not  inaptly  compared  to  aiming  a  stick  at  a  fuU 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  ,  21 

fruit  tree.  The  particular  apple,  at  which  you  aimed,  ia 
perhaps  not  reached,  but  others,  possibly  larger  and 
riper,  fall  around." — '''  Mothers  in  Council.*' 

After  patient  persevering  effort. 

Does  it  at  times  seem  as  if  tiiere  were  no  hope  of  our  prayers  being 
answered  ?  Let  not  the  well-known  fable  of  the  crow  and  the  pitcher 
be  too  familiar  not  to  furnish  us  with  a  useful  lesson  of  encourage- 
ment. The  crow,  ready  to  die  with  thirst,  flew  to  a  pitcher,  which  it 
saw  at  a  distance.  But  when  he  came  to  it,  he  found  the  water  so  low, 
that  with  all  his  stooping  and  straining,  he  was  unable  to  taste  a  drop. 
Thereupon  he  tried  to  break  the  pitcher;  then  to  overturn  it;  but  his 
strength  was  not  sufficient  jto  do  either.  At  last  seeing  some  small 
pebbles  at  hand,  he  droppe^d  a  good  many  of  them,  one  by  one,  into 
the  pitcher,  and  so  raised  the  water  to  the  brim,  and  quenched  his  thirst 
So  may  it  be  with  our  prayers.  Every  pebble  we  cast  in,  to  adapt  the 
figure,  may  bring  the  water  of  life  nearer  to  our  thirsting  lips.  The 
Lord  may  desire  us  first  to  feel  the  cravings  of  desire  and  want,  ho 
may  lead  us  to  patient  continuance  in  the  use  of  means  ;  but  every 
efTort  brings  the  blessing  nearer,  until  in  time,  the  thirsting  soul  is 
fully  satisfied,  and  the  needed  measure  of  our  prayers  is  full. 

Augustine  relates  of  himself,  that  before  his  conver- 
sion, he  used  to  pray  against  his  sins,  and  feel  afraid  lest 
God  should  hear  his  prayers,  and  take  him  at  his  word. 
At  other  times,  his  "inward  thought "  was,  "  Lord,  hear 
me,  but  not  yet.** 

The  runaway  knock. — "  While  the  prayer  of  faith," 
said  an  eloquent  Welsh  preacher,  "  is  sure  to  succeed, 
our  prayers,  alas !  too  often  resemble  the  mischievous 
tricks  of  children  in  a  town,  who  knock  at  their  neigh- 
bors' houses,  and  then  run  away.  We  often  knock  at 
mercy's  door,  and  then  run  away,  instead  of  waiting  for 
an  entrance  and  an  answer.  Thus  we  act  as  if  we  were 
afraid  of  having  our  prayers  answered." 

~  Anecdotes  illustrative  of  answers  to  prayer  might  here  be  aptly  ad- 
duced, but  that  their  number  renders  a  selection  almost  a  hopeless 
task.    Mr.  Philipps  in  his  "  Remarkable  Answers  to  Prayer,"  has  filled 


22  ILLUSTEATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

a  whole  book  with  examples,  to  which  the  reader  is  referred ;  Remark' 
able  Providences  Illustrating  the  Divine  Government,  as  also  to  the 
several  instances  given  in  Arvine's  and  Cheever's  Cyclopaedia  of  Anec- 
dotes, and  Prime's  "  Power  of  Prayer." 

ASSURANCE. 

The  old  writers  abound  in  figures,  setting  forth  the 
sweetness  of  assurance. 

Thomas  Watson  says,  "  It  is  the  manna  in  the  golden 
pot,  the  white  stone,  the  wine  of  Paradise,  that  cheers 
the  heart.  It  is  God's  smile  upon  his  children ;  the  sun 
rising  out  from  its  cloudy  bed  ;  like  the  spirit  in  JEzehieVs 
wheels,  that  moved  them  and  lifted  them  up.  It  is  like 
the  mariner's  lantern  on  the  deck,  which  gives  light  in 
the  darkness  of  the  night." 

Not  always  enjoyed. — There  may  be  the  seed  of 
faith  without  the  fruit  of  comfort.  "  You  may  have  the 
water  of  the  Spirit  poured  upon  you  in  sanctification, 
though  not  the  oil  of  gladness  in  assurance ;  there  may 
be  the  faith  of  adherence,  and  not  of  evidence ;  there  may 
be  life  in  the  root  when  there  is  no  fruit  on  the  branches 
to  be  seen ;  so  faith  in  the  spirit  when  no  fruit  of  assur- 
ance."— Thomas  Watson. 

Not  essential  to  salvation,  though  comforting. 
— "  It  is  one  thing  for  a  man  to  have  his  salvation  cer- 
tain, another  thing  to  be  certain  that  it  is  certain. 
Even  as  a  man  fallen  into  a  river,  and  like  to  be 
drowned  as  he  is  carried  down  with  the  flood,  espies 
the  bough  of  a  tree  hanging  over  the  river,  which  he 
catcheth  at,  and  clings  unto  with  all  his  might  to  save 
him,  and  sfeeing  no  other  way  of  succor  but  that,  ventures 
his  life  upon  it.  This  man,  so  soon  as  he  has  fastened 
on  this  bough,  is  in  a  safe  condition,  though  all  troubles, 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  23 

fears,  and  terrors  are  not  presently  out  of  his  mind,  until 
he  comes  to  himself  and  sees  himself  quite  out  of  danger. 
Then  he  is  sure  he  is  safe,  but  he  was  safe  before  he  was 
sure.  Even  so  it  is  with  a  believer.  Faith  is  but  the 
espying  of  Christ  as  the  only  means  to  save,  and  the 
reaching  out  of  the  heart  to  lay  hold  on  him." — Areli- 
bishop  Usher. 

"  The  greatest  thing  that  we  can  desire,  next  to  the 
glory  of  God,  is  our  own  salvation ;  and  the  sweetest 
thing  we  can  desire  is  the  assurance  of  our  salvation. 
In  this  life  we  cannot  get  higher  than  to  be  assured  of 
that  which  in  the  next  life  is  to  be  enjoyed.  All  saints 
shall  enjoy  a  heaven  when  they  leave  this  earth  ;  some 
saints  enjoy  a  heaven  while  they  are  here  on  earth." — 
Joseph  Caryl. 

Want  of,  a  hindrance  to  the  Christian. — "  Take 
for  an  illustration  of  this,  two  English  emigrants,  and 
suppose  them  set  down  side  by  side  in  New  Zealand  or 
'  Australia.  Give  each  of  them  a  piece  of  land  to  clear 
and  cultivate.  Let  the  portions  allotted  to  them  be  the 
same  both  in  quantity  and  quality.  Secure  that  land  to 
^  them  by  every  needful  legal  instrument ;  let  it  be  conveyed 
as  freehold  to  them  and  theirs  forever  ;  let  the  conveyance 
be  publicly  registered  and  the  property  made  sure  to 
them  by  every  deed  and  security  that  man's  ingenuity 
can  devise. 

"  Suppose  then  that  one  of  them  shall  set  to  work  to 
bring  liis  land  into  cultivation,  and  labor  at  it  day  after 
day  without  intermission  or  cessation.  Suppose  in  the 
mean  while,  that  the  other  be  continually  leaving  his 
work  and  going  repeatedly  to  the  public  registry  to  ask 
whether  the  land  is  really  his  own,  whether  there  is  not 


24  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

some  mistake, — whether,  after  all  there  is  not  some  fla^ 
in  the  legal  instrument  which  conveyed  it  to  him.  The 
one  shall  never  doubt  his  title,  but  just  work  diligently 
on.  The  other  shall  hardly  ever  feel  sure  of  his  title, 
and  spend  half  his  time  in  going  to  Sydney  or  Auckland 
with  needless  inquiries  about  it.  Which  now  of  these 
two  men  will  have  made  most  progress  in  a  year's  time  ? 
Who  will  have  done  the  most  for  his  land,  got  the  great- 
est breadth  of  soil  under  tillage,  have  the  best  crops  to 
show,  be  altogether  the  most  prosperous  ?  You  all  know, 
as  well  as  I  do.  I  need  not  supply  an  answer.  There 
can  only  be  one  reply.  Undivided  attention  will  always 
attain  the  greatest  success." — Rev.  J.  Q.  Ryle. 

Inconsistent  with  sin. — "I  would  not  give  one 
straw  for  that  assurance  that  siil  will  not  damp.  If 
David  had  come  to  me,  in  his  adultery,  and  had  talked 
to  me  of  his  assurance,  I  should  have  despised  his 
speech." — John  Newton. 

Begets  work. — "  As  exercise  begets  health,  and  by 
health  we  are  made  fit  for  exercise,  so  assurance  grounded 
upon  the  promises,  enableth,  enlargeth,  and  increaseth 
sanctification,  and  sanctification  increaseth  assurance." — 
Clarke  s  Saint's  Nosegay. 

"  Our  hope  is  not  hung  upon  such  untwisted  thread 
as  ^I  imagine  so,'  or  'It  is  likely;'  but  the  cable,  the 
strong  rope  of  our  fastened  anchor,  is  the  oath  and 
promise  of  Him  who  is  eternal  verity ;  our  salvation  is 
fastened  with  God's  own  hand  and  Christ's  own  strength 
to  the  strong  stake  of  God's  unchanging  nature." — 
Rutherford. 

Latimer  writes  in  his  quaint  way  to  Ridley,  "  When 
I  live  in  a  settled  and  steadfast  assurance  about  the  state 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  25 

of  my  soul,  methinks  I  am  as  bold  as  a  lion.  I  cac 
laugh  at  all  trouble ;  no  affliction  daunts  me.  But  when 
I  am  eclipsed  in  my  comforts,  I  am  of  so  fearful  a  spirit 
that  I  could  run  into  a  very  mouse-hole." 

The  Eev.  Thomas  Adams  writes  (in  his  Private 
Thoughts),  "I  am  as  sure,  on  the  word  and  protnise  of 
God,  that  my  sins  are  done  away  in  Christ,  as  if  an 
angel  were  to  bring  me  a  release  in  writing,  or  I  were 
in  heaven  out  of  all  danger." 

BuNYAN  well  sets  forth  the  worth  of  assurance,  in  the 
pains  and  trouble  it  cost  Christian,  when  he  lost  his  roll 
by  sleeping  in  the  arbor.  Thus  he  bewailed  his  sinful 
sleep. 

**  0  WRETCHED  man  that  I  am,  that  I  should  sleep  in  the  daytime ; 
that  I  should  sleep  in  the  midst  of  difficulty ;  that  I  should  so  indulge 
the  flesh  as  to  use  that  rest  for  ease  to  my  flesh,  that  the  Lord  of  the 
hill  hath  erected  only  for  the  relief  of  the  spirits  of  pilgrims.  How 
many  steps  have  I  taken  in  vain !  Thus  it  happened  to  Israel  for 
their  sin,  they  were  sent  back  again  by  the  way  of  the  Red  Sea;  and 
I  am  made  to  tread  those  steps  with  sorrow  that  I  might  have  trod 
with  delight,  had  it  not  been  for  this  sinful  sleep.  How  far  might  I 
have  been  on  my  way  by  this  time!  I  am  made  to  tread  those  steps 
thrice  over,  which  I  needed  not  to  have  trode  but  once :  yea,  now  I 
am  like  to  be  benighted,  for  the  day  is  almost  spent.  Oh  that  I  had 
not  slept !" 

BACKSLIDING. 

"Apostasy  begins  at  the  closet  door." — P.  Henry. 

"  When  a  Christian  backslides,  it  is  as  if  the  prodigal 
re-acted  his  former  folly,  and  left  his  Father's  house  a 
second  time." — Dr.  Nevins. 

IS  GENERALLY  GRADUAL, — hke  the  ebbing  tide^ 

wave  after  wave  breaks  upon  the  shore  at  apparently  the 
same  point,  and  it  seems  impossible  to  tell,  by  any  two 


26  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

or  three  separate  waves  whether  it  is  the  'ebb  or  flow ; 
but  watch  a  few  minutes,  and  the  outgoing  waters  soon 
tel]  their  own  tale. 

IS  A  WOUNDING  SIN. — There  is  a  breastplate  pro- 
vided for  the  Christian  soldier,  but  we  read  of  no  hack- 
plate. 

"  Backsliding  in  heart  always  leads  to  legality  of 
spirit. — J.  H.  Evans. 

—  begins  by  degrees. 

The  fallen  tree. 

Some  time  ago  two  ministers  were  walking  along  the  banks  of  a 
river,  when  they  came  to  a  tree  which  had  been  blown  down  in  a  re- 
cent gale.  It  was  a  mighty,  noble  tree,  tall  and  substantial,  with 
large  outspreading  roots  and  ample  foliage.  It  must  have  been  the 
growth  of  the  greater  part  of  a  century  j  and  any  one  who  had  seen 
it,  would  have  said  there  was  no  cause  why  it  should  not  have  stood  a 
century  longer.  Approaching  to  examine  it,  they  found  it  had  been 
snapped  oflf  just  above  the  roots;  and  on  looking  still  closer,  found 
that  there  was  only  an  outer  shell  of  sound  wood,  and  that  the  heart 
was  rotten  !     Unnoticed,  the  decay  had  been  going  on  for  years.     "  Do 

you  know,"  said  Mr. to  his  companion,  "  that  a  tree  never 

breaks  off  in  this  way  unless  there  has  been  previous  decay  1"  "  A 
very  suggestive  lesson,"  was  the  answer,  "  for  you  and  me,  and  for 
your  people  and  mine.  Is  it  not  so  with  the  falls  of  many  of  the 
members  of  our  churches  ?  Men  seldom  fall  all  at  once  into  notori- 
ous, flagrant  sin." 

The  TWO  portraits. — If  a  portrait  were  taken  of  a 
person  in  strong,  vigorous  health,  and  another  was  taken 
of  the  same  man  after  a  severe  illness,  or  when  he  had 
been  almost  starved  to  death,  or  weakened  by  confine- 
ment, we  should  scarcely  recognize  them  as  the  likeness 
of  the  same  man,  the  dear  old  friend  we  loved !  Still 
greater  would  be  the  change,  could  we  draw  the  spiritual 
portrait  of  many  a  once  hearty,  vigorous  saint  of  God, 
whose  soul  has  been  starved  for  want  of  the  proper  spir- 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  27 

itual  nourishment,  or  feeding  upon  "  ashes"  instead  of 
bread. 

"  The  SYMPTOMS  of  spiritual  decline  are  like  those 
which  attend  the  decay  of  bodily  health.  It  generally 
commences  with  loss  of  appetite,  and  a  disrelish  for 
wholesome  food,  prayer,  reading  the  Scriptures,  and  de- 
votional books.  Wherever  you  perceive  these  symptoms, 
be  alarmed,  for  your  spiritual  health  is  in  danger ;  apply 
immediately  to  the  great  Physician  for  a  cure." — Dr, 
Fayson. 

AwFULNESS  OF. — "  They  fall  deepest  into  hell  who 
fall  backwards  into  hell.  None  so  near  heaven  as  those 
that  are  convinced  of  sin ;  none  so  near  hell  as  those 
who  have  quenched  conviction." — Bunyan. 

'^  I  CAN  certainly  testify,  after  sixteen  years'  ministry, 
that  by  far  the  most  hopeless  death-beds  I  have  attended, 
have  been  those  of  backsliders.  I  have  seen  such  per- 
sons go  out  of  the  world  without  hope,  whose  conscience 
appeared  really  dead,  buried,  and  gone,  and  on  whom 
every  truth  and  doctrine  and  argument  appeared  alike 
thrown  away.  They  seemed  to  have  lost  the  power  of 
feeling,  and  could  only  lie  still  and  despair." — Rev.  J. 
a  Ryle. 

The  watchmaker's  question. 

"  A  young  man  was  for  several  months  in  a  backsliding  state,  which 
manifested  itself  in  the  usual  way  of  conformity  to  a  fashionable  and 
unholy  course  of  life,  and  a  neglect  of  the  ordinances  and  institutions 
<ff  the  house  of  God.  During  this  time  he  called  on  a  deacon  of  the 
church,  who  was  a  watch-maker,  and  asked  him  to  repair  his  watch. 
"  What  is  the  difficulty  with  your  watch  ?"  said  he.  "  It  has  lost  time' 
lately,"  said  the  young  man.  The  deacon  looked  up  to  him  with  a 
steady  and  significant  eye  and  said,  "  Haven't  yon  lost  time  lately  ?" 
These  few  words  brought  the  backslider  to  repentance,  to  the  church, 
and  to  duty. —  Christian  Treasury. 


28  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHEHINGS. 

BLINDNESS,  SPIRITUAL. 

"Ignorance  of  the  truth,  or  spiritual  blindness,  is 
generally  both  the  mother  and  daughter  of  pride." — - 
QuesneJ. 

"  In  what  a  pitiable  condition  is  a  worldly  man !  no 
guide !  his  own  guide ! — and  he  stark  blind.'" —J.  H, 
Evans. 

"None  are  so  blind  as  those  that  will  not  see." 

"  I  CAN  fancy  far  sadder  sights  than  an  entire  family, 
parents  and  children,  all  blind.  A  home,  where  they 
have  never  looked  on  each  other's  faces,  but  a  blind 
father  sits  by  the  dull  fire  with  a  blind  boy  on  his  knees, 
and  the  sightless  mother  nurses  at  her  bosom  a  sightless 
babe,  that  never  gladdened  her  with  its  happy  smile. 
But  a  greater  calamity  is  ours.  The  eyes  of  our  under- 
standing are  darkened.  Oh,  for  the  sense  and  energy 
of  the  beggars  that  sat  by  the  gates  of  Jericho  !  Stum- 
bling, often  falling,  but  always  to  rise,  they  probably  hung 
on  the  skirts  of  the  crowd,  plunged  headlong  into  the 
thick  of  it,  and  elbowing  men  aside,  pursued  Jesus  with 
the  most  earnest  prayer,  '  Have  mercy  on  us,  0  Lord, 
thou  Son  of  David — Have  mercy  on  us,  0  Lord,  thou 
Son  of  David  !'  Be  yours  that  cry." — Illustrations  of 
Truth. 

Who  are  blind  ?  We  apply  the  term  blind  to  two 
kind  of  persons, — those  who  shut  their  eyes  and  will  not 
see,  and  those  whose  sight  is  lost  or  weak,  and  who^ca/?- 
not  see.  The  one  are  to  be  condemned,  the  other  pitied. 
'The  first  is  obstinate,  wilful  blindness ;  the  second  is  that 
of  ignorance,  though  sincere.  Many  who  came  to  Christ 
for  healing,  had  little  light,  but  they  had  strong  faith. 
They  were  like  children  groping  for  a  brother's  hand  in 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  29 

the  darkness,  and  when  they  grasped  it,  holding  it  with 
trembUng  firmness. 

"It  is  PLAIN  why  unconverted  men  undervalue  doc- 
trine, saying  that  *  it  is  no  matter  what  a  man  believes, 
so  his  heart  ber  right ;'  '  that  one  doctrine  is  as  good  as 
another,  and  for  that  matter,  no  doctrines  are  good  for 
much ;'  and  that  ^  they  don't  believe  in  doctrinal  preach- 
ing, at  any  rate.'  They  forsooth  !  blind  worms,^pronounc- 
ing  contemptuously  on  the  stupendous  heights  and  glories 
of  God's  revelation,  where  alone  we  learn  what  we  are 
to  believe  concerning  him,  and  what  duty  he  requires  of 
us. 

"  It  is  plain,  too,  why  they  see  no  preciousness  in  the 
promises,  no  glory  in  Christ,  no  beauty  in  holiness,  no 
grandeur  in  the  work  of  redemption ;  why  they  make  a 
Ajock  at  sin,  despise  God's  threatenings,  brave  his  wrath, 
make  light  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  jest  at  death,  and 
rush  headlong  on  certain  perdition.  They  are  blind,  so 
the  Scripture  speaks.  There  are  bhnd  people  that  have 
eyes.  *  Having  the  understanding  darkened,  being 
alienated  from  the  life  of  God,  through  the  ignorance 
that  is  in  them,  because  of  the  blindness  of  their  hearts.' 
So  there  is  such  a  thing  as  heart  blindness,  as  well  as 
blindness  of  the  bodily  eye. 

"  Unconverted  men  often  say,  *  If  these  things  are  so, 
if  they  are  so  clear  and  great,  why  cannot  we  see  them?' 
And  there  is  no  answer  to  be  given  but  this.  Ye  are 
blind. 

"  *  But  we  want  to  see  them.  If  they  are  real,  they 
are  our  concern  as  well  as  yours.  Oh,  that  some 
preacher  would  come  who  had  power  to  make  us  see 
them !' 

3* 


30'  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATIIERIXGS. 

"  Poor  souls,  there  is  no  such  preacher,  and  you  need 
not  wait  for  him.  Let  him  gather  God's  light  as  he  will, 
he  can  but  pour  it  on  blind  eyes.  A  burning-glass  will 
condense  sunbeams  into  a  fOcus  of  brightness ;  and  if  a 
blind  eye  be  put  there,  not  a  whit  will  it  see,  though  it 
be  consumed.  Light  is  the  remedy  for  darkness, '  not 
blindness. 

"Neither  will  strong  powers  of  understanding  on  your 
part  serve.  The  great  Earl  of  Chatham  once  went  with 
a  pious  friend  to  hear  Mr.  Cecil.  The  sermon  was  on 
the  Spirit's  agency  in  the  hearts  of  believers.  As  they 
were  coming  from  church,  the  mighty  statesman  confessed 
that  he  could  not  understand  it  at  all,  and  asked  his 
friend  if  he  supposed  there  was  any  one  in  the  hcuse 
could.  '  Why,  yes,'  said  he,  ^  there  were  many  plain, 
unlettered  women,  and  some  children  there,  who  un- 
derstood every  word  of  it,  and  heard  it  with  joy.'  " 
— Hoges  Blind  Bartimceus. 

See  an  admirable  Tract,  "  The  Eye  Doctor,"  by  the 
Rev.  P.  B.  Power. 

BLOOD  OF  CHRIST. 

"  Blessed  be  God,  his  blood  can  cleanse,  not  cnly 
from  all  the  evil  that  we  see,  but  what  he  sees.  Many 
chambers  within  are  yet  unopened  to  us ;  we  see  but 
through  the  crevice,  yet  his  blood  gets  entrance,  and 
drowns  all." — Lady  Power scourt. 

"  There  are  three  jewels  God  gives  to  his  children,  of 
more  worth  than  heaven.  First  jewel,  the  blood  of  his 
Son;  second  jewel,  the  grace  of  his  Spirit;  third  jewel, 
the  light   of   his  countenance.     Do  you  possess  these 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  31 

jewels?     Their  worth  is  inestimable." — Thomas  WaU 
son. 

Caernarvon  castle. 

A  gentleman  visiting  the  ancient  castle  a  few  years  ago,  was  much 
interested  in  the  old  keeper.  He  was  an  old  soldier,  by  name  Richard 
Roberts,  late  sergeant  in  the  23rd  Regiment  of  Royal  Welsh  Fusilcers. 
He  had  been  in  22  general  actions,  of  which  he  kept  a  printed  list,  and 
sold  it  to  visitOTs.  There  is  some  reason  to  hope  that  he  is  a  soldier 
of  the  cross.  Some  gentleman,  after  talking  with  him,  penned  the 
following  lines,  to  be  inscribed  on  the  old  soldier's  grave,  adding,  "  I 
hope  they  may  be  sincerely  inscribed  upon  your  tomb." 

THE    soldier's    EPITAPH. 

"  In  earlier  years  I  shed  my  blood, 
Both  for  my  king  and  for  my  country's  good ; 
In  later  years  it  was  my  pride  to  be 
Soldier  to  Him  who  shed  his  blood  for  me." 

No  BLOOD  BUT  Christ's. — It  is  recorded  of  Samuel 
Pearce,  a  useful  and  much  blessed  minister  at  Birming- 
ham, that  at  the  time  of  his  conversion,  having  read 
Doddridge's  "  Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion  in  the 
Soul,"  he  took  up  the  idea  suggested  in  that  book,  and 
resolved  formally  to  dedicate  himself  to  the  Lord.  He 
drew  up  a  covenant  accordingly,  and  to  make  it  more 
solemn  and  binding,  he  signed  it  with  blood  drawn  from 
his  own  body.  But  afterwards,  failing  in  his  vows,  he 
was  plunged  into  great  distress.  Driven  therefore 
into  a  more  complete  examination  of  his  motives,  he  was 
led  to  see  that  he  had  been  relying  too  much  on  his 
own  strength ;  and  carrying  the  blood-signed  covenant  to 
the  top  of  his  father's  house,  he  tore  it  into  pieces  and 
scattered  it  to  the  winds,  and  resolved  henceforth  to  de- 
pend upon  the  peace-making  and  peace-keeping  blood  of 
Christ." 

Captain  Hedley  Vicars. — It  was  the  thought  of 


32  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

*  the  blood'  which  led  him  to  be  decided.  Whilst  waiting 
in  Canada,  in  November,  1851,  the  arrival  of  a  brother 
officer  in  his  room,  and  idly  turning  over  the  leaves  of 
th«3  Bible,  his  eye  caught  the  well-known  words,  "  The 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.'* 
Closing  the  book,  he  said,  "  If  this  be  true  for  me,  hence- 
forth I  will  live,  by  the  grace  of  God,  as  a  man  should 
live  who  has  been  washed  in  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ." 

The  Gibraltar  soldier. — "  Some  years  ago,  two 
soldiers  belonging  to  one  of  the  regiments  of  the  British 
Army  stationed  at  Gibraltar,  were  brought  to  a  saving 
knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  While  living 
on  this  secluded  spot,  with  few  opportunities  of  hearing 
the  word  preached,  they  were  led  to  read  it  together  ; 
and  the  voice  of  God  speaking  in  his  written  word, 
touched  one  of  their  hearts.-  The  conversion  of  the  other 
soon  followed. 

"  One  evening  these  two  soldiers  were  placed  as  sentries 
at  the  opposite  ends  of  a  sally-port  or  long  passage  lead- 
ing from  the  rock  to  the  Spanish  territory.  One  of 
them,  as  we  have  already  seen,  was  rejoicing  in  God  his 
Saviour,  while  the  other  was  in  a  very  anxious  state  of 
mind,  and  under  strong  convictions  of  sin,  earnestly 
seeking  pardon.  That  evening,  an  officer  of  the  garri- 
son, returning  home  at  a  late  hour,  came  up  to  the  sentry 
outside  the  sally-port,  who  was  the  soldier  recently  con- 
verted, and  asked  as  usual  for  the  watchword.  The  man, 
absorbed  in  meditation,  scarcely  roused  from  his  mid- 
night reverie,  replied  to  the  officer's  challenge  with  the 
words,  'the  precious  blood  of  Christ.'  He  soon  however 
recovered  his  self-possession,  and  gave  the  correct  watch- 
word.    His  comrade,  who  was  anxiously  seeking  pardon, 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  33 

stationed  at  the  inner  end  of  the  sally-port  (a  passage 
specially  adapted  for  the  conveyance  of  sound),  heard 
the  words,  'the  precious  blood  of  Christ,'  mysteriously 
borne  upon  the  breeze  at  the  solemn  midnight  hour,  and 
the  words  came  to  him  as  a  voice  from  heaven,  his  load 
of  guilt  was  removed,  and  '  the  peace  of  God  was  granted 
to  him.' 

"He  was  afterwards,  with  others  of  his  regiment, 
drafted  for  service  in  India,  and  proceeded  to  the  Island 
of  Ceylon,  where  a  long  career  of  usefulness  opened 
before  him,  and  where  he  became  the  honored  instrument 
of  the  completion  of  a  great  and  important  work.  He 
was  well  qualified  to  fill  the  office  of  master  in  the  prin- 
cipal school  of  Colombo,  having  had  a  good  education  in 
early  life ;  and  to  this  end  his  discharge  was  procured 
from  his  regiment.  He  joon  acquired  an  intimate  know- 
jedge  of  the  Cingalese  language ;  and  as  a  translation  of 
the  Bible  into  that  tongue  was  lying  in  an  unfinished 
state,  owing  to  the  death  of  the  individual  who  had  com- 
menced the  work,  he  set  himself  to  the  task  and  completed 
the  version,  which  was  afterwards  printed  by  the  British 
and  Foreign ,  Bible  Society  in  four  4to  volumes.  The 
remainder  of  his  life  was  spent  in  India,  devoted  to  the 
service  of  his  Lord  and  Master.  And  ere  he  died  he 
became  acquainted  with  no  less  than  thirteen  languages." 
— Book  and  its  Mission. 

BROKEN  HEART. 

It  is  not  every  kind  of  broken  heart  which  constitutes 
the  "sacrifice  of  God."  Some  sinners  repent  with  an 
U7ihroJcen  heart.  They  are  sorry,  and  yet  go  on,  as  did 
Pilate  and  Herod. 


34  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHEUINGS. 

"  Gospel  Comfort  may  be  known  by  the  vessel  it  is 
poured  into,  which  is  a  broken  heart.  The  promise  is 
superscribed  by  name  to  such,  and  to  such  only,  Isaiah 
Ivii.  15.  As  in  needle- work,  the  sad  ground  is  laid  before 
the  beautiful  colors ;  as  the  statuary  cuts  and  carves  his 
statue  before  he  gilds  it ;  so  doth  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
begin  with  sadness  and  end  in  joy;  first  cuts  and  wounds, 
then  heals  and  overlays  the  soul  with  comfort  and  peace." 
— G-urnall. 

"  By  breakinq  of  the  heart  God  openeth  it,  and  makes 
it  a  receptacle  for  the  graces  of  his  Spirit ;  that  is  the 
cabinet  where  God  locks  up  the  jewels  of  the  gospel. 
There  he  puts  his  fear :  '  I  will  put  my  fear  into  their 
heart.'  There  he  writes  his  law:  'I  will  write  my  law 
in  their  heart.'  There  he  puts  his  Spirit:  ^ I  will  put 
my  Spirit  within  you.'  The  heart,  I  say,  God  chooses 
for  his  cabinet :  there  he  hides  his  treasures ;  there  is  the 
seat  of  justice,  mercy,  and  every  grace  of  God, — I  mean, 
when  it  is  broken,  made  contrite,  and  so  regulated  by  the 
Holy  Word.  The  heart,  when  broken,  is  like  sweet 
gums  and  spices  when  beaten;  for  as  such  cast  their 
fragrant  scent  into  the  nostrils  of  men,  so  the  heart  when 
broken  casts  its  sweet  smell  into  the  nostrils  of  God. 
The  incense,  which  was  a  type  of  prayer  of  old,  was  to 
be  beaten,  or  bruised,  and  so  to  be  burned  in  the  censer. 
The  heart  must  be  beaten  or  bruised,  and  then  the  sweet 
scent  will  come  out ;  even  groans  and  cries  and  sighs  for 
the  mercy  of  God,  which  cries  and  groans  are  to  him 
a  very  excellent  thing  and  pleasing  in  his  nostrils." — 
Bunyan. 

"  No  MAN  ever  dies  of  a  broken  heart  through  religion. 
You  hear  this  sometimes.     People  say,  ^Religion  has 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  35 

made  men  mad.'  It  never  was  religion ;  it  was  the  want, 
or,  it  might  be,  the  semblance  of  religion,  but  never  re- 
ligion itself.  The  broken  heart  that  religion  produces  is 
but  the  beginning  of  existence.  It  is  the  travail,  the 
throe  of  the  new  birth,  by  which  men  are  introduced  into 
the  land  of  life  and  of  the  living.  There  may  appear, 
brethren,  harshness  and  severity  about  it.  Just  as  in 
skillful  music,  dissonant  and  discordant  notes  sometimes 
are  made  by  the  master-hand  to  be  introductory  to  the 
sweet  tones,  which  thrill  and  captivate  the  soul ;  so  here 
also  it  is  the  same.  The  truth  regarding  Christ,  which 
melts  the  heart,  heals  the  heart;  for  he  who  looks  to 
Him  whom  he  has  pierced  and  mourns,  looks  in  the  same 
spirit  of  faith,  to  him  whom  he  has  pierced,  and  reposes 
and  rejoices." — Rev.  J.  Parsons. 

If  we  cannot  go  to  God  with  a  broken  heart,  let  us  go 
to  him  for  one.     The  Spirit  breaks  and  binds  up. 

A  man's  heart  must  either  be  broken  for  sin  or  hy 
sin. 

CALLING,  EFFECTUAL— 

— "  is  the  manifestation  of  eternal  love  and  a  sure  fore- 
runner of  glory,  being,  in  effect,  the  voice  of  God,  tell- 
ing us  beforehand  that  he  will  glorify  us." — Bisliop 
Cowper. 

"  There  is  an  intrinsic  or  effectual  call,  when  God 
with  the  offer  of  grace  works  grace;  by  this  call  the 
heart  is  rencTyed  and  the  will  effectually  drawn  to  em- 
brace Christ.  The  outward  call  brings  men  to  a  pro- 
fession of  Christ,  the  inward  to  a  possession  of  Christ." 
—  Watson. 

God  draws  his  people  not  with  force,  as  mere  machines, 


36  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

but  "  with  tlie  cords  of  a  man  and  with  the  bands  of 
love."  "  The  subject  may  be  best  unfolded  by  a  familiar 
illustration.  How  was  it  that  Jacob  was  drawn  into 
Egypt  ?  He  was  made  to  feel  the  pressure  of  a  grievous 
famine ;  he  was  informed  that  there  was  plenty  of  corn 
in  Egypt,  and  that  his  dearly-beloved  Joseph  was  the 
lord  of  all  that  land,  and  that  he  disposed  of  the  good 
things  to  whomsoever  he  would.  Hfe  was  told,  moreover, 
that  Joseph  had  expressly  invited  him,  and  had  sent 
wagons  for  the  conveyance  of  his  family,  together  with 
abundant  provisions  for  the  way;  and  finally,  he  was 
assured  that  at  the  end  of  this  journey,  all  the  good  of 
the  land  of  Egypt  should  be  his. 

"Did  he  need,  after  this,  to  have  a  chain  fastened 
round  him,  to  be  dragged  into  Egypt  ?  No  ;  all  that  he 
needed  was  faith  to  believe  the  tidings,  and  when  once  he 
was  persuaded  of  the  truth  of  these  things,  he  was  willing 
of  himself  to  go  into  that  good  land. 

"  Thus  God  draws  sinners.  He  learns  them  to  feel 
their  need  of  mercy.  He  informs  them  that  Jesus  Christ 
has  all  heaven  at  his  disposal ;  that  he  has  sent  to  invite 
them,  assuring  them  of  all  that  is  needful  by  the  way, 
and  all  the  glory  of  heaven  at  the  end.  Thus  a  thorough 
belief  of  these  truths  bends  the  most  stubborn  heart, 
and  overcomes  the  most  reluctant  mind." — Rev.  Q, 
Simeon. 

"  The  operations  of  grace  render  it  effectual,  with- 
out the  least  violence,  to  the  human  mind.  Open  the 
blind  man's  eyes  to  see  the  sun,  and  he  will  need  no 
compulsion  to  make  him  admire  it.  Suppose  there  was 
a  person  to  whose  ceaseless  bounty  you  owed  every  com- 
fort you  enjoyed,  but  of  whom  nevertheless   you  had 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  37 

never  had  so  much  as  a  sight ;  suppose  that  person  in 
process  of  time  favored  you  with  a  visit,  would  you  stand 
in  need  of  compulsion  to  make  you  speak  to  him  ?  Must 
you  be  dragged  by  the  hair  of  your  head  into  his  pres- 
ence ?  No ;  you  would  at  once  fly  to  him,  and  bid  him 
welcome.  You  would  freely,  yet  irresistibly  (such  is  the 
sweet  captivating  power  of  gratitude),  thank  him  and 
give  him  your  best  accommodation,  and  wish  your  best 
was  better  for  his  sake !  Similar  is  the  free  tendency  of 
an  enlightened  soul  to  God  and  Christ.  It  disclaims  all 
compulsion,  properly  so  called.  It  pleads  only  for  that 
victorious  conciliating  efficacy,  which  is  inseparable  from 
the  grace  of  Divine  attraction." — Toplady. 

"  Those  may  hope  to  be  saved  at  the  eleventh  hour, 
who,  when  called  at  that  time,  can  plead  that  it  is  their 
call ;  who  can  say  when  asked  why  they  stand  idle,  *  Be- 
cause no  man  hath  hired  us.'  " 

CAPTAIN  OF  SALVATION,  CHRIST  THE. 

"  It  is  not  for  nothing  that  God  is  so  often  styled 
*  Lord  of  Hosts'  in  the  Old  Testament.  We  find  him 
so  called  no  less  than  130  times  in  two  of  the  prophets, 
Esaias  and  Jeremiah.  Because  in  the  ordering  of  mar- 
tial affairs,  he,  in  a  manner,  doth  all.  Captains  and 
superior  officers  may  and  do  consult,  but  God  deter- 
mines.' ' — Arrowsmith. 

The  Duke  of  Wellington. — "  We  are  the  soldiers 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Now  that  which  nerves  the  soldier's 
arm  and  strengthens  his  heart  as  he  goes  forth  to  battle, 
is  not  so  much  the  multitude  of  the  army  of  which  he 
forms  a  part,  as  the  character  of  the  chief  whom  he  is 
following."     It  is  related  that  in  one  of  the  Duke  of 


38  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

Wellington's  battles,  a  portion  of  the  army  was  giving 
way,  under  the  charge  of  the  enemy,  when  he  rode  into 
the  midst  of  them.  A  soldier  called  out  in  ecstasy, 
"  There  s  the  Duke — G-od  bless  him.  I'd  rather  see  his 
face  than  a  whole  brigade ;"  and  these  words,  turning  all 
eyes  to  their  chief,  so  reassured  his  comrades  that  they 
repulsed  the  foe.  For  he  is  beside  us,  they  felt,  who  was 
never  defeated  yet,  and  will  not  be  defeated  now.  ^'  A 
military  friend  with  whom  I  conversed  on  this  subject, 
said,  that  though  he  had  never  heard  the  anecdote,  he 
could  well  conceive  it  to  be  true :  the  presence  of  that 
distinguished  General,  he  added,  was  at  any  time  worth 
five  thousand  men." — Tait  on  the  Hebrews. 

The  Highland  Chief. — "  There  is  a  touching  fact 
related  in  history  of  a  Highland  chief,  of  the  noble 
house  of  McGregor,  who  fell  wounded  by  two  balls,  at 
the  battle  of  Prestonpans.  Seeing  their  chief  fall,  the 
clan  wavered,  and  gave  the  enemy  an  advantage.  The 
old  chieftain,  beholding  the  effects  of  his  disaster,  raised 
himself  up  on  his  elbow,  while  the  blood  gushed  in 
streams  from  his  wounds,  and  cried  aloud,  'I  am  not 
dead,  my  children ;  I  am  looking  at  you  to  see  you  do 
your  duty.'  These  words  revived  the  sinking  courage 
of  the  brave  Highlanders.  There  was  a  charm  in  the 
fact,  that  they  still  fought  under  the  eye  of  their  chief. 
It  roused  them  to  put  forth  their  mightiest  energies,  and 
they  did  all  that  human  strength  could  do  to  turn  and 
stem  the  dreadful  tide  of  battle." — Christian  Treasury. 

The  crew  of  the  Ajax,  we  are  told  in  the  Memoir  of 
Captain  Boyd,  were  remarkable  for  their  sobriety  and 
good  conduct  at  Kingstown.     Some  of  them  assigned  as 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  39 

a  reason,  that  "  they  would  not  disgrace  their  captain." 
Let  Christians  learn  a  lesson. 

CARE. 

"Never  trouble  yourself  with  trifles,  and  soon  all 
trouble  will  appear  a  trifle." 

"Never  trouble  yourself  with  trouble,  till  trouble 
troubles  you." 

Whatever  is  a  matter  of  our  care  should  be  a  matter 
of  our  prayer. 

Man  has  been  compared  to  a  target  struck  by  the  ar- 
rows of  worldly  trouble.  If  so,  may  it  not  teach  us 
that  a  rich  man  has  often  only  the  questionable  advan- 
tage of  being  a  broader  target  than  his  neighbors  ?  no 
wonder,  then,  if  he  is  more  often  stricken. 

All  upon  the  waters. — It  is' a  beautiful  thought 
worked  out  by  an  old  writer,  that  in  one  respect  all  sorts 
of  vessels  are  alike.  Standing  upon  Ramsgate  pier,  we 
view  the  little  boat  heaving  with  the  least  ripple,  and  the 
huge  ship  resting  unmoved  in  its  great  strength,  as  if  it 
might  defy  the  ocean ;  who  would  compare  the  two  ? 
Yet  in  one  respect  both  are  alike ;  they  are  both  upon 
the  waters ;  both  upon  the  same  tempestuous  element ; 
the  same  unresting,  unsparing,  treacherous  waves.  Thus 
is  it  with  all  ranks  of  men.  The  rich  and  poor,  the 
prince  and  peasant,  are  all  upon  care's  broad  sea ;  and 
there  are  times  when  the  humble  bark,  safely  moored  in 
harbor,  because  of  its  frailty,  escapes  the  storm,  when 
the  big  ship  that  goes  forth  in  its  strength,  is  over- 
whelmed and  wrecked. 

Weeds  in  rivers. — It  is  said  that  there  has  sprung 
up  in  some  of  our  rivers  and  canals  m,  seemingly  insig- 


40  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

nificant  weed,  which  is  found  to  multiply  itself  so  rap- 
idly, and  so  intertwine  its  strong  and  rope-like  stems,  as 
to  interfere  seriously  with  the  navigation.  It  is  just  so 
with  some  minds,  that  are  so  productive  of  multiplying 
and  impeding  cares  that  the  course  of  noble  and  worthy 
purposes  are  most  sadly  hindered. 

Borrowing  trouble. — Some  persons  have  the  foolish 
habit  of  always  borrowing  trouble  from  the  future.  The 
trials  of  to-day  are  not  enough ;  they  must  send  a  tele- 
graph into  the  future  to  inquire  what  may  be  to-morrow. 
Such  men  are  frightened  at  their  own  shadows.  Their 
fear  leads  them  to  suspect  a  foe  where  they  find  a  friend ; 
like  the  man  in  the  fog,  whose  heart  beat  because  he  saw 
a  monster  form  approaching  on  his  path,  which  he  found 
to  be  his  "brother  John!"  While  there  is  prudential 
wisdom  in  preparing  for  the  worst,  there  is  equal  wisdom 
in  always  hoping  for  the  best. 

■  The  snoavball. — *'  One  hard  winter  day  some  boys 
had  made  a  snowball,  and  rolled  it  along  until  it  had 
grown  too  large  and  heavy  for  them  to  move.  Here, 
said  Gotthold,  have  we  an  admirable  emblem  of  human 
cares.  They  are  often  hght  and  insignificant,  but  we 
magnify  them  by  impatience  and  unbelief,  until  they  be- 
come greater  than  we  can  bear.  Many  a  one  keeps 
night  and  day  revolving  his  trouble  in  his  mind  to  no 
better  purpose  than  these  boys  ;  all  they  accomplish  by 
their  pains  is  to  set  up  for  those  who  pass,  a  sign  that 
children  have  been  at  play ;  and  he  gains  nothing  by  his 
labors  but  a  head  more  confused  and  a  heart  more  sor- 
rowful than  before." — GottJioId's  Emblems. 

Too  MUCH  CARE  Sometimes  punishes  itself;  like  the 
old  lady,  landing  from  the  steamer  in  a  shower  of  rain, 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  41 

who  covered  her  new  bonnet  so  completely  with  her  gown, 
that  she  missed  her  footing  on  the  plank  and  fell  into 
the  river ! 

"  Anticipated  troubles  are  harder  to  bear  than  real 
ones,  because  Christ  does  not  support  us  under  them." — 
Dr.  Payson. 

Alexander. — What  a  pitiful  thing  it  was  to  see 
Alexander,  when  he  conquered  the  world,  so  troubled 
because  ivy  would  not  grow  in  his  garden  at  Babylon. 

True  comfort. — "Dearest  Fan,"  wrote  Miss  Bicker- 
steth  to  her  afflicted  sister,  "  I  know  not  how  much  you 
can  bear  to-day,  but  I  know  you  can  bear  these  words, 
'  Casting  all  your  care  upon  Him,  for  he  careth  for 
you.'  " — Doing  and  Suffering, 

CARNAL  MIND. 

"  The  carnal  mind  is  the  life  of  sense,  by  which  is 
not  meant  sensuality  or  immorality,  but  acquiescence  in 
this  state  as  such,  without  any  thought  or  desire  of  a 
change ;  loving  and  adhering  to  the  world,  and  full  rel- 
ish of  earthly  enjoyments  and  earthly  comforts,  and  the 
means  of  procuring  them.  If  this  be  the  prevailing 
habit  and  temper  of  our  minds,  God  is  fatally  excluded, 
let  a  man  think  what  he  will  of  himself,  or  what  fair  ap- 
pearances soever  he  may  make  in  religion.  *  *  *  *  JJut 
then,  this  is  not  the  whole  of  the  carnal  mind.  To  bring 
it  further  into  view,  let  us  take  our  stand  from  Scrip- 
ture,— ^  Except  your  righteousness  shall  exceed  the  right- 
eousness of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,'  i.  e.  of  mere 
show,  though  ever  so  learned,  ^  ye  shall  in  no  case  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.'  The  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees here  represent  the  great  doctors  and  religionists,  so 
4  ♦ 


42  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

called,  of  all  ages  and  places ;  and  it  does  not  appear 
from  Scripture  that  they  were  scandalously  defective  in 
point  of  morals,  or  what  is  commonly  called  virtue. 
What,  then,  should  be  the  reason  that  Christ,  all  mild 
and  gracious  as  he  was,  ever  spoke  to  and  of  them,  with 
a  snarpness  that  seems  to  need  an  apology  ?  It  was  be- 
cause they  were  foremost  in  a  fatal  error,  and  would  be 
apt  to  lead  others  into  it,  viz.  that  of  self-justification, 
and  the  reality  and  merit  of  human  virtue, — which  at 
the  best  is  infinitely  defective,  generally  founded  upon 
rotten  principles,  and  can  never  stand  the  judgment  of 
God." — Rev.  Thomas  Adam. 

CHRIST. 

"  The  great  study  of  the  Church  of  God  on  earth  is 
the  study  of  God  in  Christ." — J.  H.  Evans. 

"  Christ  is  a  general  temple,  in  whom  by  faith  all 
believers  meet." — Henry. 

"  You  will  find  him  an  unfading  flower  in  a  fading 
world." — J.  II.  Evans. 

"  Christ  is  compared  to  .a  great  Rock  in  a  weary  land. 
He  bore  the  heat  that  we  might  sit  in  the  shade. 

In  Christ  the  whole  Gospel  is  treasured  up ;  he  is 
the  light,  the  food,  and  the  medicine  of  the  soul." — 
Glassius. 

"  Christ  sweetens  all  our  comforts  and  sanctifies  all 
our  crosses." — Watson. 

"  Wisdom  out  of  Christ  is  damning  folly  ;  righteous- 
ness out  of  Christ  is  guilt  and  condemnation ;  sanctifica- 
tion  out  of  Christ  is  filth  and  sin ;  redemption  out  of 
Christ  is  bondage  and  misery." 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  43 

We  may  know  what  Christ  has  done  for  us,  by  what 
he  has  done  in  us. 

"  Christ  is  not  valued  at  all,  unless  he  be  valued 
above  all." — Augustine. 

Christ  is  God's  "  beloved,"  his  daily  delight.  Do  we 
refuse  to  be  pleased  with  what  pleases  the  great  God  ? 
Are  we  wiser  than  he  ? 

"  To  WIN  Christ  is  the  highest  gain,  to  know  Christ 
is  the  sublimest  knowledge,  and  to  live  upon  Christ  is 
the  happiest  life  below ;  and  it  is  the  same  enjoyment, 
life,  and  knowledge,  carried  on  to  the  highest  perfection 
of  nature  and  place,  which  thou  shalt  partake  of  above." 
— Serle. 

None  but  Christ.  A  man  may  get  into  the  Church 
without  Christ,  but  he  cannot  get  into  heaven  without 
Christ. 

"  High  thoughts  of  Christ  constitute  the  essentials 
of  a  sinner's  religion.  They  are  the  foundation  of  his 
hopes,  and  the  materials  of  his  happiness." — Bradley. 

Christ  is  our  Saviour — more  than  our  Helper. 

Christ  is  all  in  all. — "  If  the  gospel  be  the  field, 
Christ  is  the  pearl  hid  in  it ;  if  the  gospel  be  the  ring, 
Christ  is  the  diamond  in  the  ring.  Indeed,  what  would 
the  gospel  be  without  Christ?  where  would  be  its  beauty, 
its  power,  its  life  ?  Truly  it  would  cease  to  be  the  gospel ; 
it  would  be  no  good  tidings  to  perishing  sinners." 

"  If  Jesus  were  to  turn  his  back,  his  name  would  be 
the  Rejecter,  the  Refuser,  not  the  Saviour.'" — J.  H^ 
Evan§. 

The  cross  better  than  the  crucifix. — "During 
Mr.  Wesley's  last  visit  to  Doncaster,  a  wicked  butcher, 
a  man  of  athletic  form,  and  well  known  as  a  terrible 


44  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

pugilist,  went  to  hear  him  preach.  By  profession  he  was 
a  Papist,  but  however  devoted  to  his  creed,  to  vital  god- 
liness he  was  an  entire  stranger.  The  solemn  yet  bland 
appearance  of  the  apostolic  Wesley  arrested  his  notice, 
and  the  persuasive  eloquence  of  his  voice  fixed  his  atten- 
tion. To  illustrate  and  give  effect  to  his  sentiments,  the 
preacher,  with  that  ease  and  aptitude  which  none  could 
excel,  introduced  the  language  of  a  female  Romanist, 
who,  having  lost  her  crucifix,  which  had  been  suspended 
from  her  person  as  an  object  of  adoration,  in  her  distress 
exclaimed,  ^  I  have  lost  my  cross ;  I  have  nothing  now  to 
trust  to  but  my  Christ.'  ^  What  a  mercy,'  observed  the 
aged  minister,  'that  she  had  Christ  left  her.'  Then  with 
his  usual  fervency  and  fluency,  he  expatiated  on  the  sufii- 
ciency  of  Christ  alone  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  soul,  and 
affectionately  recommended  him  to  all  present.  This  was 
new  d-octrine  to  the  deluded  Romanist,  who  had  been 
taught  to  trust  in  many  things  besides  Christ,  but  it  was 
the  doctrine  of  truth,  and  the  Spirit  of  truth  applied  it 
with  power  to  his  awakened  mind." 

Christ  everything. — ''The  Saviour  is  in  a  pre- 
eminent sense  the  consolation  of  his  people,  because  he 
is  the  basis  of  all  their  comfort.  Take  him  away,  and 
what  becomes  of  the  work  of  the  Spirit  in  our  souls  ? 
Faith  has  nothing  to  rest  upon.  Repentance  has  noth- 
ing to  which  to  look.  Hope  has  no  prospect  to  realize. 
Take  away  Christ  and  heaven  has  no  charm  ;  for  who 
knows  not  .that  but  for  the  presence  of  Christ,  even 
heaven  must  be  a  barren  place.  Christ,  then,  is  the 
comforter  of  his  people  because  he  is  the  basis  and  source 
of  all  their  consolations." — Evans. 

The  only  rest  of  the  soul. — "  The  needle's  point 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  45 

in  the  seaman's  compass  never  stands  still,  but  quivers 
and  shakes  till  it  come  right  against  the  North  Pole. 
The  wise  men  of  the  East  never  stood  still,  till  they  were 
right  against  the  star,  which  appeared  unto  them ;  and 
the  star  itself  never  stood  still,  till  it  came  against  that 
other  Star,  which  shone  more  brightly  in  the  manger 
than  the  sun  did  in  the  firmament.  And  Noah's  dove 
couH  find  no  rest  for  the  sole  of  her  foot,  all  the  while 
she  was  fluttering  over  the  flood,  till  she  returned  t6  the 
ark  with  an  olive  branch  in  her  mouth.  So  the  heart  of 
every  true  Christian,  which  is  the  turtle  dove  of  Jesus 
Christ,  can  find  no  rest  while  it  is  hovering  over  the 
waters  of  this  world,  till  it  have  the  silver  wings  of  a 
dove,  and,  with  the  olive  branch  of  faith,  fly  to  the  true 
Noah,  which  signifieth  Best,  till  Christ  put  forth  his 
hand  out  of  the  ark,  and  taking  it  in,  receive  it  to  him- 
self."— Spencer. 

Looking  from  Christ. — "  The  reason  why  the  men 
of  the  world  think  so  little  of  Christ,  is,  that  they  do 
not  look  at  him.  Their  backs  being  turned  from  the  sun, 
they  only  see  their  own  shadows,  and  are  therefore 
wholly  taken  up  with  themselves ;  whilst  the  true  disci- 
ple, looking  only  upwards,  sees  nothing  but  the  Saviour, 
and  learns  to  forget  himself." — Pay  son. 

Christ  in  the  heart. — "  In  the  Highlands  they  tell, 
that  the  Queen  went  one  day  into  a  poor  cottage.  The 
old  woman  did  not  know  who  was  seated  under  her  roof, 
and  e^"en  when  told,  she  did  not  say  much  of  what  she 
felt,  to  see  her  Queen  there.  But  when  the  Queen  rose 
to  go,  she  set  aside  the  chair  on  which  she  had  sat,  and 
said,  ^None  shall  ever  sit  on  that  seat  again.'  It  was  a 
loyal  word.     In  a  way  just  as  real  as  that  Jesus  comes 


46  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

into  the  soul ;  and  lie  brings  as  mucli  with  him  when  he 
comes  to  be  guest  in  the  richest  home  and  with  the  best- 
loved  of  the  sons  of  men,  as  when  he  comes  to  the 
poorest   child's   or   vilest    sinner's   dwelling." — Family 

^reasury. 

"  My  beloved  is  mine." — "  In  the  time  of  the  Marian 
persecution,  there  was  a  gracious  woman,  who  being 
convened  before  bloody  Bonner  (then  Bishop  of  London) 
upon  the  trial  of  religion,  he  threatened  her  that  he 
would  take  away  her  husband   from   her.     Saith  she, 

Christ  is  my  husband.*  'I  will  take  away  thy  child.' 
*  Christ,'  saith  she,  'is  better  to  me  than  ten  sons.'  'I 
will  strip  thee,'  saith  he,  'of  all  thy  outward  comforts.' 
'Yea,  but  Christ  is  mine,'  saith  she,  'and  you  cannot 
strip  me  of  him.'  Oh !  the  assurance  that  Christ  was 
hers,  bore  up  her  heart  and  quieted  her  spirit  under  all. 
'You  may  take  away  my  life,'  saith  Basil,  'but  you  can- 
not take  away  my  comfort ;  my  head,  but  not  my  crown  ; 
yea,'  said  he,  'had  I  a  thousand  lives  I  would  lay  them 
all  down  for  my  Saviour's  sake,  who  hath  done  abun- 
dantly more  for  me.'  John  Ardley  professed  to  Bonner, 
when  he  told  him  of  burning,  and  how  ill  he  could  en- 
dure it, — '  That  if  he  had  as  many  lives  as  he  had  hairs 
on  his  head,  he  would  lose  them  all  in  the  fire  before  he 
would  lose  his  Christ.'  " — Brooks. 

St.  Patrick's  prayer  was  very  striking,  as  he  was 
going  to  preach  at  Tara,  expecting  persecution. — "At 
Tara  to-day,  the  strength  of  God  pilot  me,  the  power 
of  God  preserve  me ;  may  the  wisdom  of  God  instruct 
me,  the  eye  of  God  watch  over  me,  the  ear  of  God  hear 
me,  the  word  of  God  give  me  sweet  talk,  the  hand  of 
God  defend  me,  the  way  of  God  guide  me ;   Christ  be 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  47 

with  me,  Christ  before  me,  Christ  after  me,  Christ  in  me, 
Christ  under  me,  Christ  over  me,  Christ  on  mj  right 
hand,  Christ  on  my  left  hand,  Christ  on  this  side,  Christ 
on  that  side,  Christ  at  my  back  ;  Christ  in  the  heart  of 
every  one  to  whom  I  speak,  Christ  in  the  mouth  of  every 
person  who  speaks  to  me,  Christ  in  the  eye  of  every 
person  who  looks  upon  me,  Christ  in»  the  ear  of  every 
one  who  hears  me  at  Tara  to-day." 

The  Rev.  John  Rees  of  Crown  street,  Soho,  London, 
was  visited  on  his  death-bed  by  the  Rev.  John  Leifchild, 
who  very  seriously  asked  him  to  describe  his  state  of 
mind.  This  appeal  to  the  honor  of  his  religion  roused 
him  ;  it  freshened  his  dying  lamp,  and  raising  himself 
up  in  his  bed,  he  looked  his  friend  in  the  face,  and  with 
great  deliberation,  energy,  and  dignity,  uttered  the  fol- 
lowing words  : — "  Christ  in  his  person,  Christ  in  the  love 
of  his  heart,  and  Christ  in  the  power  of  his  arm,  is  the 
Rock  on  which  I  rest ;  and  now  (reclining  his  head  gently 
on  the  pillow),  death,  strike  I" 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  op  a  sinner  sinking  on  a 
ROCK?" — The  late  Rev.  James  Smith  says,  "A  short 
time  since  I  called  to  see  one  of  my  hearers,  who  was 
near  death.  She  was  an  aged  woman,  remarkably  quiet 
and  unobtrusive,  whose  life  had  adorned  the  gospel. 
When  I  approached  her,  I  saw  that  death  was  doing  its 
work ;  but  she  was  calm  and  composed.  I  took  her 
proffered  hand,  and  said,  ^  How  is  it  with  you  V  In  her 
own  calm,  quiet  way,  yet  with  considerable  earnestness, 
she  replied,  'Well,  sir,  I  am  on  the  rock.'  Oh  what  a 
mercy,  thought  I,  to  feel  thus  after  a  long  life,  in  which 
so  many  trials  had  been  experienced,  and  so  many 
changes  seen  !     It  brought  to  my  mind  what  I  had  heard 


48  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

of  a  good  woman  in  humble  life,  who,  when  visited  by 
her  pastor  when  she  was  near  to  death,  and  being  asked 
by  him  if  she  felt  sinking,  replied,  '  How  could  you  ask 
me  that  ?  Did  you  ever  know  any  one  sink  through  a 
rock  ?  I  AM  ON  THE  ROCK.'  My  friend  lingered  for  a 
time,  experienced  a  few  more  conflicts  with  the  foe,  and 
then  died  in  peace.  No  one  that  knew  her,  doubts  but 
she  is  with  the  Lord.  She  felt  her  need  of  Christ  when 
young,  sought  the  Lord  with  the  heart,  found  peace  in 
believing,  battled  through  a  long  life  with  many  fears 
and  troubles,  but  has  now  entered  into  rest.  The  religion 
she  enjoyed  in  life  sustained  her  in  death,  and  gave  her 
a  victory  over  it." 

"None  other  name." — "A  few  persons  were  col- 
lected round  a  blind  man,  who  had  taken  his  station  on 
a  bridge  over  the  London  canal,  and  was  reading  from 
an  embossed  Bible.  Receiving  from  the  passers-by  of 
their  carnal  things,  he  was  ministering  to  them  spiritual 
things.  A  gentleman  on  his  way  home  from  the  city, 
was  led  by  curiosity  to  the  outskirts  of  the  crowd.  Just 
then  the  poor  man,  who  was  reading  Acts  iv.,  lost  his 
place,  and  while  trying  to  find  it  with  his  fingers,  kept 
repeating  the  last  clause  he  had  read,  '  None  other  name, 
— None  other  name, — None .'  Some  of  the  peo- 
ple smiled  at  the  blind  man's  embarrassment,  but  the 
gentleman  went  on  his  way  musing.  He  had  lately  be- 
come convinced  that  he  was  a  sinner,  and  had  been  try- 
ing in  many  ways  to  obtain  peace  of  mind.  But  relig- 
ious exercises,  good  resolutions,  altered  habits,  all  were 
ineff'ectual  to  relieve  his  conscience  of  its  load,  and  ena- 
ble him  to  rejoice  in  God.  The  words  he  had  heard  from 
the  blind  man,  however,  rang  their  solemn  music  to  his 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  49 

soul, — 'None  oHier  name.'  When  lie  reached  his  home 
and  retired  to  rest,  the  words,  like  evening  chimes  from 
village  towers  nestling  among  the  trees,  were  still  heard 
— 'None  other  name.  None  other  name;'  and  when  he 
awoke,  in  more  joyful  measure,  like  matin  bell,  saluting 
the  morn,  the  strain  continued,  'None  other  name.  None 
other  name.'  The  music  entered  his  soul,  and  he  awoke 
to  new  life.  '  I  see  it  all ;  I  see  it  all.  I  have  been 
trying  to  be  saved  by  my  own  works ;  my  repentance, 
my  prayers,  my  reformation.  I  see  my  mistake.  It  is 
Jesus  who  alone  can  save  me.  To  him  I  will  look. 
Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other :  for  there  is 
none  other  name — none  other  name — none  other  name 
under  heaven,  given  among  men  whereby  we  must  be 
saved.'  " 

CHRISTIANS. 

"  Definition  of  a  happy  Christian :  a  simple  believer 
and  a  close  walker." — J.  H,  Evans. 

"  Not  one  who  looks  up  from  earth  to  heaven, 

but  one  who  looks  down  from  heaven  upon  earth." — 
Lady  Powerscourt. 

"Such  pearls,   though  often  hidden  in   the 

dust." 

One  who  just  hates  what  the  devil  loves,  and 

loves  what  the  devil  hates. 

"  The  Scripture  gives  four  names  to  Christians,  taken 
from  the  four  cardinal  graces  so  essential  to  man's  sal- 
vation :  saints,  for  their  holiness ;  believers,  for  their 
faith ;  brethren,  for  their  love ;  disciples  for  their  know- 
ledge."—J..  Fuller. 

"A  Christian  is  the  highest  style  of  man." — Pope. 


50  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

"  A  Christian  is  a  man  and  more  ;  an  earthly  saint, 
an  angel  clothed  in  flesh,  the  only  image  of  his  Maker 
and  Redeemer ;  the  abstract  of  God's  Church  on  earth ; 
a  model  of  heaven,  made  up  in  clay,  the  living  temple 
of  the  Holy  Ghost:'— Bishop  Rail 

Every  Christian  should  be  either  like  Christ  or  like 
Mary;  the  first  was  always  "doing  good,"  the  latter 
was  still  receiving  good. 

"  We  are  really,  what  we  are  relatively." — F.  Renry. 

The  different  lots  of  Christians. — "  God  is  sov- 
ereign in  his  dispensations,  and  appoints  some  of  his 
people  to  trials  and  exercises,  to  which  others  perhaps 
are  strangers  all  their  days.  Believers  are  soldiers ;  all 
soldiers,  by  their  profession,  are  engaged  to  fight  if  called 
upon ;  but  who  shall  be  called  to  sustain  the  hottest  ser- 
vice, and  be  most  frequently  exposed  upon  the  field  of 
battle,  depends  upon  the  will  of  the  general  or  king. 
Some  of  our  soldiers  are  now  upon  hard  service,  while 
others  are  stationed  round  the  palace,  see  the  king's  face 
daily,  and  have  no  dangers  or  hardships  to  encounter. 
These,  however,  are  as  liable  to  a  call  as  the  others ;  but 
if  not  called  upon,  they  may  enjoy  with  thankfulness, 
the  more  easy  post  assigned  them.  Thus  the  '  Captain 
of  our  salvation'  allots  to  his  soldiers,  such  stations  as 
he  tliinks  proper.  He  has  a  right  to  employ  whom  he 
will,  and  where  he  will.  Some  are  comparatively  at  ease ; 
they  are  not  exposed  to  the  fiercest  onsets,  but  live  near 
his  presence;  others  are  to  appearance  pressed  above 
measure,  beyond  strength,  so  that  they  despair  even  of 
life;  yet  they  are  supported,  and  in  the  end  made  'more 
than  conquerors'  through  him  who  hath  loved  them." — 
Jlev.  J.  Newton. 


illustrative  gatherings.  51 

Different  kinds  op  Christians — 

The  minimum  Christian — and  who  is  he?  The 
Christian,  whose  chief  aim  is  to  do  as  little  as  he  can  not 
to  miss  heaven, — who  is  determined  to  go  to  heaven  as 
cheaply  as  he  can.  He  generally  goes  to  church  once  in 
the  day,  seldom  more,  and  not  always  that,  if  it  rain,  or 
the  weather  be  too  hot  or  too  cold ;  though  when  there, 
he  is  devout  in  behaviour,  and  attentive  to  what  is  said. 
He  enjoys  the  means  of  grace,  but  might  frequent  them 
oftener.  He  is  friendly  also  to  all  good  works,  and  sup- 
ports them,  but  it  is  rather  with  his  purse  than  with  his 
personal  help.  "  He  needs  Sunday  as  a  day  of  rest." 
The  minimum  Christian  is  not  quite  dear  on  a  number 
of  important  points.  He  is  not  quite  decided  how  far  to 
go  into  worldly  amusements,  and  is  afraid  of  being  thought 
"narrow"  or  "peculiar." 

In  short,  the  minimum  Christian  knows  that  he  cannot 
serve  God  and  mammon,  but  he  tries  to  go  as  near  as  he 
can  to  the  border.  His  heart  has  been  given  to  Christ, 
and  he  would  not  forsake  him ;  but  yet  he  finds  it  hard 
to  forsake  all  for  his  Saviour.  He  is  traveling  to 
Canaan,  but  there  are  often  longings  for  "the  good 
things  of  Egypt."  Like  Lot,  he  is  leaving  Sodom,  but, 
like  him,  he  cries  when  the  Lord  would  draw  him  forth 
at  once — "  Oh  !  not  so,  my  Lord,  not  so  far — not  so  fast 
— not  so  soon  !" 

The  maximum  Christian  is  just  the  reverse  of  such 
a  one.  His  thought  is  not — How  little  f  but  How  much,  ? 
Listead  of  "Not  so  soon,"  "Lord,  why  cannot  I  follow 
thee  nowf  Instead  of  "How  much  can  I  afford f* 
rather,  "  How  much  can  I  spare  f 

The  comprehensive  Christian  is  one  who  is  always 


52  ILLUSTKATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

aiming,  so  far  as  he  can,  to  be  all  that  Christ  was,  uniting 
in  his  character  the  most  seemingly  opposite  extremes : 
modest,  and  yet  bold;  conciliatory,  and  yet  inflexible; 
patient  in  suffering,  yet  sharp  in  rebuke ;  deferential  to 
all  men,  yet  independent  of  all ;  charitable  towards  the 
erring,  severe  against  the  error,  at  once  gentle  and  rigid, 
catholic  and  exclusive,  all  things  to  all  men,  and  one 
thing  to  himself. 

The  artificial  Christian  is  one  who  has  no  internal 
spiritual  life.  As  "  the  weights  of  a  clock  move  all  the 
wheels,  so  artificial  Christians  are  excited  by  things  with- 
out them.  They  want  an  inward  principle  to  do  good 
freely.  But  the  Spirit  of  God  works  a  kind  of  natural 
freedom." — iSihbs. 

The  speculative  Christian. — "The  real  and  ex- 
perienced Christian  differs  from  the  speculative  one,  as  a 
rich  merchant  does  from  a  poor  chemist.  The  former, 
perhaps,  hath  no  skill  in  furnaces,  and  cannot  talk  of 
the  nature  of  gold  according  to  art,  yet  he-  hath  gold ; 
the  latter  can  discourse  with  great  skill  about  the  proper- 
ties of  gold,  but  yet  the  man  wants  what  he  talks  of;  in 
like  manner  a  practical  Christian  may  be  rich  in  grace, 
though  he  cannot  learnedly  discourse  of  it,  and  a  specu- 
lative Christian  may  be  very  poor,  though  he  talks  of 
spiritual  riches.  Aristotle  wrote  of  the  world,  but  his 
scholar  conquered  it." — Dr,  J.  Edwards. 

The  improving  Christian. — "  A  man  may  look  over 
an  artist  at  his  work,  and  see  that  he  makes  bad  strokes, 
but  yet  shall  see  that  he  is  to  he  a  good  artist.  The 
sense  of  his  purpose  is  not  marred  by  his  imperfect  exe- 
cution. So  a  Christian  may  have  an  irritable  temper, 
or  be  a  proui  man,  and  yet  may  live  so  that  the  im- 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  53 

pression  is  produced  that  he  is  trying  to  regulate  his 
interior  nature  by  the  law  of  Christ.  He  is  a  Christian, 
who  is  manfully  struggling  to  live  a  Christian's  life." — 
Beecher. 

The  poor  Christian  in  humblest  rank  may  be  "  as 
ointment  poured  forth."  ^'The  son  of  toil,  from  whose 
very  touch  your  delicacy  shrinks,  and  who  till  Sabbath 
stops  the  wheels  of  business,  and  with  her  kind  hand 
wipes  the  sweat  of  labor  from  his  brow,  never  knows  the 
full  comfort  of  a  cleanly  attire ;  may  have  a  heart  within, 
which,  compared  with  yours,  is  purity  itself.  Beneath 
this  soiled  raiment  he  wears,  all  unseen  by  the  world's 
eye,  the  '  clean  linen '  of  a  Redeemer's  righteousness. 
His  speech  may  be  rude,  his  accent  vulgar ;  but  let  him 
open  his  heart,  unbosom  its  secrets,  and  such  gracious 
thoughts,  such  holy  desires,  such  heavenly  aspirations, 
such  hallowed  joys  come  forth,  that  it  seems  as  if  we  had 
opened  some  rude  sea-chest,  brought  by  a  foreign  ship 
from  southern  lands,  which,  full  to  the  lid  with  pearls  and 
gold  and  diamonds,  loads  the  air  with  floating  odors  of 
cassia  and  myrrh  and  frankincense." — G-utlirie. 

Thus  the  lot  and  character  of  Christians  are  widely 
different — 

"  There  are  no  buds  which  can  open  without  the  sun,  but  there  is  a 
great  diiference  in  the  time  it  takes  them  to  unfold.  Some  have  their 
outer  petals  so  closely  wrapped  and  glued  together,  that  there  must  be 
many  days  of  warm  shining  before  they  will  begin  to  expand;  and 
others  there  are  which  make  haste  to  get  out  of  the  ground,-  and  almost 
as  soon  as  they  are  buds,  they  are  blossoms.  So  is  it  with  human 
hearts.  Some  are  so  cold  and  impervious  that  it  seems  as  though 
God's  Spirit  never  could  reach  themj  and  others  there  are  which  open 
to  its  first  influences." — Beecher. 

— ^but  one  point  is  the  same  in  all  who  are  true  and 
6  * 


64  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

genuine, — Christ  in  tliem  and  they  in  Christ.  A  Chris- 
tian is  one  who  lives  in  Christ,  on  Christ,  hy  Christ,  to 
Christ,  for  Christ,  like  Christ,  and  hopes  soon  to  be  with 
Christ  forever. 

"A  REAL  Christian  is  a  grand  character,  and  may  unite  in  him- 
self whatever  is  great  in  the  mind  of  a  philosopher,  or  in  the  heart 
of  a  hero." — Saurin. 

Dr.  Judson,  when  he  went  on  his  missionary  journeys 
through  the  villages  and  jungles  of  the  poor  benighted 
Karens,  used  to  be  called  by  the  natives  the  "Jesus 
Christ's  man."  Is  not  this  the  truest  and  highest  de- 
scription of  a  Christian  that  could  be  given  ? 

Christians  should  be  light-bearers. 

The  position  of  the  Christian  in  the  world  is  that  of  a  lighthouse- 
keeper.  He  is  living  in  the  midst  of  storms.  But  he  is  safe  himself, 
and  he  knows  that  he  is  safe.  He  need  have  no  fear  about  him.  There 
is  everything  to  make  him  sure  of  it.  His  proper  mission  therefore 
is; 'assured  of  his  own  safety  on  the  Rock,  to  remember  why  he  is 
placed  there ;  to  see  that  the  light  he  is  to  give  forth,  shine  brightly, 
steadily,  and  continuously;  thus  accomplishing  the  two-fold  end  of  his 
mission, — grateful  for  light  and  safety  himself,  to  be  a  friend  and 
benefactor  to  all,  like  himself,  upon  the  waters. 

COMING  TO  CHRIST. 

How  much  meaning  may  these  four  letters  of  the 
alphabet  comprehend,  when  uttered  in  a  gospel  sense. 
The  little  word  ^^Come,*'  proceeding  from  the  mouth  of 
God,  contains  the  very  sum  and  substance,  the  Alpha 
and  Omega  of  the  gospel.  It  is  the  breathing  of  com- 
passion, the  beckoning  of  parental  love,  the  whisper  of 
encouragement,  the  still  small  voice  of  grace,  the  gospel 
in  a  syllable — Come  ! 

When  a  mother  first  teaches  her  child  to  walk,  what 
word  does  she  make  use  of?     See  how  she  puts  him  on 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  55 

his  tiny  feet,  goes  back  a  few  steps,  bends  down,  holds 
out  her  loving  hands,  and  whispers.  Come.  It  is  a  word 
which  breathes  hope  and  kindles  courage  in  the  infant's 
heart ;  with  feeble,  tottering  steps  he  comes. 

Suppose  the  same  child  lost  in  a  dark  passage, — the 
candle  or  lamp  which  his  mother  held  gone  out.  Does 
he  call  in  terror  "  Mother  ?  "  One  word  from  her  well- 
known  and  trusted  lips  is  enough.  He  hears  the  word 
"  Come  !"  he  trusts,  and  the  terror  is  gone,  as  he  runs 
forward  to  grasp  her  ready  hand. 

We  might  carry  the  picture  through  all  life's  sad  and 
joyous  changes. 

The  child — grown  to  a  youth.  The  young  man  gone 
forth  into  the  world — the  prodigal,  first  a  wanderer,  and 
then,  remembering  the  old  home-spell,  returning  a  hum- 
ble penitent.  The  emigrant,  after  long  years  of  absence. 
Is  there  any  word  which  wields  on  men's  hearts  such  a 
mighty  spell  as  this, — "Come,"  come  hack:  a  father's 
heart,  a  mother's  breast,  are  yearning ;  come  home,  still 
there  is  welcome — rest ! 

How  gracious,  then,  is  the  word  in  the  lips  of  the 
Father  of  mercies,  from  the  "Friend  of  Sinners!" 
What  a  welcome  does  it  hold  forth  to  a  repentant 
wanderer,  what  joy  to  the  loving  child  of  God,  what  rest 
to  the  weary  pilgrim  ! 

"  Would  the  blind  world  but  take  Philip's  advice  and 
Nathanael's  practice,  '  Come  and  see,'  what  a  crowd  of 
friends  would  Christ  have  !  '  Come  and  see'  will  speak 
more  for  Christ,  to  set  forth  his  excellencies,  than  the 
tongues  of  men  and  angels  can  do." — Theophilus  G-ale. 

"  Come  and  see," — "  Come  and  dine"  (John  i.  39, 
xxj.  12).     "  The  first  and  last  chapters  of  St.  John  here 


56  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

seem  to  meet  and  to  embrace  each  other.  ^  Come  and  see,* 
*  Come  and  dine ;'  one,  the  early  encouragement  to  the 
convert's  faith ;  the  other,  the  fruit  of  faith,  the  gracious 
reward  of  believing  in  Christ,  and  following  him.  There 
is  a  like  connection  in  the  Book  of  Psalms ;  the  first  psalm 
begins  with  the  assurance, '  Blessed  is  the  man  that  walketh 
not  in  the  counsel  of  the  ungodly ;'  the  last  invites  our 
praises,  the  happy  testimony  of  our  experience,  and  the 
fruit  of  our  lips,  'Praise  ye  the  Lord.'  " — Ford. 

I'd  go  WITHOUT  PUSHING. — "I  was  showing  my 
little  daughter  Carrie,  five  years  old,  an  engraving,  rep- 
resenting mothers  pushing  their  children  towards  Jesus, 
when  he  held  one  of  their  number  in  his  arms. 

"  '  I  wouldn't  be  pushed  to  Jesus,  mamma,'  she  said, 
with  earnestness,  as  I  said  to  her,  *  That's  the  way  I 
would  do  with  you,  Carrie,  if  I  had  been  there.' 

^  I  wouldn't  want  to  be  pushed ;  I'd  go  to  him  with- 
.ut  pushing.'  " — Christiayi  Treasury. 

The  CHASED  bird. — "  I  have  read  of  the  senate  of 
Athens,  that  once  upon  occasion  they  were  constrained 
to  sit  in  the  open  fields  ;  and  being  there  set  in  the  open 
fields,  a  poor  chased  bird,  a  sparrow  or  the  like,  chased 
by  the  birds  of  prey,  came  flying  to  the  bosom  of  one 
of  the  senators  for  rescue  from  their  talons  ;  the  senator 
being  of  a  churlish  disposition,  he  takes  the  poor  little 
chased  bird  and  throws  it  from  him  upon  the  ground,  and 
so  killed  the  bird ;  whereupon  the  senate  made  an  order 
that  he  should  die  himself ;  they  would  not  have  a  man 
so  churlish  to  be  one  of  the  senators.  And  do  you  think 
that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when  you  come  as  a  poor 
chased  bird  for  shelter  into  his  bosom — do  you  think 
that  the  Lord  Christ  will  throw  you  away  ?     No,  no ;  aa 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  67 

iie  is  full  of  glory  and  excellency,  so  lie  is  full  of  love 
and  bounty ;  whatever  therefore  thou  hast  been,  man  or 
woman,  whatever  you  have  been,  though  you  have  been 
never  so  vile,  come  unto  Jesus  Christ,  come  unto  Jesus 
Christ."— Tf.  Bridge, 

COMMUNION  WITH  GOD. 

The  centrifugal  force  of  Christian  activity,  must  be 
balanced  by  the  centripetal  force  of  communion  with 
God. 

Nearness  to  Christ. — Dr.  Payson  has  well  illus- 
trated the  various  classes  of  Christians,  by  supposing 
them  ranged  in  three  different  circles  round  Christ. 

"Some,"  he  says,  "value  the  presence  of  their 
Saviour  so  highly,  that  they  cannot  bear  to  be  at  any 
remove  from  him.  Even  their  work  they  will  bring  up, 
and  do  it  in  the  light  of  his  countenance,  and  while  en- 
gaged in  it,  will  be  seen  constantly  raising  their  eyes  to 
him,  as  if  fearful  of  losing  one  beam  of  his  light.  Others 
who,  to  be  sure,  would  not  be  content  to  live  out  of  his 
presence,  are  yet  less  wholly  absorbed  by  it  than  these, 
and  may  be  seen  a  little  further  off,  engaged  here  and 
there  in  their  various  callings,  their  eyes  generally  upon 
their  work,  but  often  looking  up  for  the  light  which  they 
love.  A  third  class  beyond  these,  but  yet  within  tho 
light-giving  rays,  includes  a  doubtful  multitude,  many 
of  whom  are  so  much  engaged  in  their  worldly  schemes, 
that  they  may  be  seen  standing  sidcAvays  to  Christ,  look- 
ing mostly  the  other  way,  and  only  now  and  then  turn- 
ing their  faces  towards  the  light." 

Fed  by  devotion. — "  If  faith  be  the  mainspring,  de- 


58  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

votion  winds  up  the  machinery,  and  keeps  it  in  continual 
motion. ' ' — Jackson. 

A  PLAIN  MAN  once  strikingly  said,  "  Before  my  con- 
version, when  I  prayed  before  others,  I  prayed  to  them  ; 
when  I  prayed  in  secret,  I  prayed  to  myself ;  but  now  I 
pray  TO  God." 

Matthew  Henry,  a  little  before  his  death,  desired 
his  friends  to  take  down  and  remember,  as  his  dying 
Baying,  that  "a  life  spent  in  the  service  of  God,  and 
communion  with  him,  is  the  most  comfortable  and  pleasant 
life  that  any  man  can  live  in  this  world." 

President  Edwards,  in  describing  the  first  instance 
of  the  inward,  sweet  delights  he  had  in  communion  with 
God,  says,  "  I  thought  with  myself,  how  excellent  a 
Being  that  was,  and  how  happy  I  should  be,  if  I  might 
enjoy  that  God,  and  be  rapt  up  to  him  in  heaven,  and 
be,  as  it  were,  swallowed  up  in  him  forever !"  He  speaks 
also  of  an  "inward  sweetness,"  excited  by  reading  of 
the  love  of  Christ,  as  portrayed  in  the  Canticles.  "This 
I  know  not  how  to  express  otherwise,  than  by  a  calm, 
sweet  abstraction  of  soul  from  all  the  concerns  of  this 
world ;  and  sometimes  a  kind  of  vision,  or  fixed  idea  and 
imagination  of  being  alone  in  the  mountains,  or  some 
solitary  wilderness,  far  from  all  mankind,  sweetly  con- 
versing with  Christ,  and  rapt  and  swallowed  up  by  God. 
The  sense  I  had  of  divine  things  would  often  of  a  sudden 
kindle  up,  as  it  were,  a  sweet  burning  in  my  heart,  an 
ardor  of  soul,  that  I  know  not  how  to  express."  Whilst 
contemplating  the  grand  works  and  power  of  God,  as, 
for  instance,  a  thunder-storm,  "  it  always  seemed  natural 
to  sing  or  chant  for  my  meditations,  or  to  speak  my 
thoughts  in  soliloquies  with  a  singing  voice."     Of  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  59 

Scriptures  lie  said,  he  "  had  the  greatest  delight  in  them. 
Oftentimes  in  reading  it,  every  word  seemed  to  touch  my 
heart.  I  feel  a  harmony  between  something  in  my  heart 
and  thDse  sweet  powerful  words."  And  such  was  the 
man.  His  face  was,  as  it  were,  the  face  of  an  angel,  his 
heart  overflowing  with  its  "  inward  sweetness,"  and  his 
whole  nature  panting  to  be  full  of  Christ  alone,  to  love 
him  with  a  pure  and  holy  love ;  to  trust  in  him,  to  hve 
upon  him,  to  serve  and  follow  him,  and  to  be  perfectly 
sanctified  and  made  pure  with  a  divine  and  heavenly 
purity. 

Henry  Martyn  writes  in  his  Diary,  "  ^  It  appeared 
this  morning  as  if  I  had  been  long  absent  from  God.* 
With  him,  to  be  absent  from  God,  was  to  be  unhappy. 
Reader,  is  it  so  with  you  ?  Do  you  derive  your  chief 
happiness  from  walking  with  God?  Do  you  perceive 
his  absence  as  quickly  as  you  perceive  the  absence  of  an 
earthly  friend  ?  Do  you  feel  lonely,  dispirited,  unhappy, 
on  account  of  that  absence  ?  Do  you  count  his  presence 
as  your  chiefest  joy  ?" — Christian  Treasure/. 

"  Be  not  to  me,  0  God,  as  a  cloud  without  rain,  lest 
I  be  to  thee  as  a  tree  without  fruit." — Spurstowe, 

CONSISTENCY. 

*'  A  Christian,  when  he  makes  a  good  profession, 
should  be  sure  to  make  his  profession  good." — W. 
Seeher. 

"  It  is  sad  to  see  many  walk  in  the  dark  themselves, 
who  carry  a  lantern  for  others." — W.  Seeker. 

''  The  want  of  consistency  in  professing  Christians 
has  done  more  harm  to  Christianity  than  all  the  ravings 


60  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

of  infidels  from  the  daj  of  Cain  to  the  time  of  Paul." 
— Mev.  J.  A.  James. 

"  If  the  Christian  religion  had  not  been  of  God,  it 
must  have  been  destroyed  long  since  by  the  misconduct 
of  its  professed  friends,  from  which  it  has  stood  in  far 
greater  danger  than  from  the  enmity  of  its  avowed  foes." 
— Hev.  J.  A.  James, 

The  want  of — soon  noticed. — "The  whole  com- 
plexion of  a  negro  is  less  noticed  than  a  single^  stain  on 
the  features  of  a  white  countenance." — Jat/. 

Necessary  in  the  reprover. — "  Before  thou  repre- 
hend another,  take  heed  that  thou  art  not  culpable  in 
what  thou  goest  about  to  reprehend.  He  that  cleanses 
a  blot  with  blurred  fingers,  will  make  a  greater  blot. 
Even  the  candle-snufi'ers  of  the  sanctuary  were  of  pure 
gold." — Quarles. 

For  one  man  who  reads  the  Bible  (once  said  a  minis- 
ter) there  are  at  least  twenty  who  read  professing  Chris- 
tians. 

Alexander  the  Great  had  a  soldier  in  his  army 
who  bore  his  own  name,  but  was  a  great  coward.  The 
Emperor,  enraged  at  his  conduct,  justly  said  to  him, 
"  Either  change  your  name,  or  learn  to  honor  it."  So 
may  it  be  said  to  many  Christians. 

CONVERSION. 

"  True  conversion  does  not  consist  in  being  turned 
from  one  set  of  opinions  to  another,  but  on  being  turned 
from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan 
unto  God." — J.  Wilson. 

"  Conversion  is  a  work  of  argument,  for  the  judg- 
ment is  gained  by  the  truth.     It  is  a  work  of  conviction^ 


ILLUSTKATIVE   GATHERINGS.  '  61 

for  the  awakened  are  pricked  in  their  hearts.  It  is  a 
work  of  inquiry,  for  they  ask,  '  What  must  we  do  to  be 
saved?'  and,  lastly,  it  is  a  work  of  comfort,  for  its  sub- 
jects have  received  remission  of  sins,  and  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Q^]io^ir—Sutcliffe. 

Conversion  lies  chiefly  in  two  things, — aversion  from 
sin,  conversion  to  Christ. 

"  Two  THINGS  are  required,  in  order  to  conversion. 
The  first  is,  that  penitence  should  not  leave  him  who 
hopes,  and  that  hop^  should  not  leave  him  who  is  peni- 
tent."—^. Wilson. 

An  old  SOLDIER  gave  a  just  definition  of  true  con- 
version, when  he  said, — "  When  I  was  a  young  fellow  in 
the  army,  we  used  often  to  receive  the  word  of  com- 
mand— '  Right  about,  face  !'  and  when  I  became  a  soldier 
of  the  cross,  this  is  just  the  command  I  received  from 
my  Captain  still,  calling  me  to  him,  '  right  about'  from 
where  I  was  before,  and  look  a  new  way,  and  I  love  to 
obey  the  call." 

"It  takes  all  there  is  in  God  to  convert  a  soul." — J. 
S.  Evans. 

Conversion  is  like  entirely  and  wholly  refitting  an 
old  ship,  and  employing  it  in  the  service  of  a  new  and 
better  master.  By  nature  a  man  is  full  of  vanity,  sail- 
ino:  under  the  colors  of  the  world.  Now,  when  Christ 
meets  a  man  and  apprehends  him  in  conversion,  he  takes 
him  ofi"  all  the  ends  he  had  in  himself,  takes  possession 
of  the  ship,  puts  in  a  new  pilot,  a  new  compass,  and 
turns  its  prow  another  way,  and  all  the  lading  the  ship 
contains  which  he  dislikes  he  throws  overboard,  and  fills 
it  with  a  better  cargo. 

Bringing  the  empty  vessel  to  Christ  to  be  filled. 

6 


62  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

— "  Suppose  a  number  of  persons  standing  by  a  river's 
side.  They  are  invited  to  drink  of  its  waters,  but  they 
are  not  thirsty,  and  therefore  do  not  desire  them.  At 
length  their  thirst  is  excited,  and  they  look  round  for  a 
vessel.  But  all  they  find  are  filled  with  what  would  mar 
the  wholesome  and  refreshing  virtue  of  the  water.  The 
vessel  must  therefore  first  be  cleansed,  and  then  it  may 
be  filled.  So  is  it  in  conversion.  Jesus  Christ  invites 
sinners  to  come  to  him,  the  fountain  of  living  waters. 
But  they  refuse — they  make  ^  light'  of  it,  or,  if  they 
profess  to  come,  their  hearts  are  filled  with  proud  notions 
of  their  own  merits.  First,  therefore,  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
the  heart  must  be  humbled — broken — emptied,  and  then, 
when  we  hunger  and  thirst,  shall  we  be  filled — while  '  the 
rich'  are  '  sent  empty  away'  ^  the  hungry'  shall  be  '  filled 
with  good  things.'  " 

Not  essential  to  know  the  exact  time. — A  man 
locked  up  in  a  dark  dungeon,  if  the  door  be  suddenly 
opened,  may  be  able  to  tell  the  exact  moment  when  the 
fresh  light  of  day  broke  in  upon  his  cell ;  but  he  that 
lives  in  the  open  air,  though  he  knows  when  the  day  is 
breaking,  and  the  sun  bursting  forth,  cannot  tell  the  pre- 
cise time  of  the  breaking  of  the  one  and  the  rising  of 
the  other.  So  is  it  in  the  matter  of  our  conversion.  A 
man  mai/  know  the  very  day  when  the  light  of  life  first 
visited  his  dark  and  imprisoned  soul ;  or  light  ma7/  break 
in  upon  him  imperceptibly  like  the  dawn  of  the  morning. 
The  certainty  of  the  fact  is  more  important  to  be  ascer- 
tained than  the  exactness  of  the  time — the  consciousness 
of  life,  than  the  day  of  the  new  birth. 

The  manner  of — various. — Many  of  the  Lord's 
people  are,  by  his  marvellous  kindness,  exempted  from 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  63 

the  exceeding  rigor  of  the'terrors  of  Sinai,  and  tlie  ex- 
cessive griefs  engendered  by  the  working  of  the  law. 
God  openeth  many  hearts  with  gentle  picklocks,  while 
with  others  he  useth  the  crowbar  of  terrible  judgments. 
The  wind  of  the  Spirit,  which  bloweth  where  it  listeth, 
also  bloweth  how  it  pleaseth ;  it  is  oftentimes  a  gentle 
gale,  not  always  a  hurricane.  When  the  lofty  palm  of 
Zelian  putteth  forth  its  flower,  the  sheath  bursts  with  a 
report  which  shakes  the  forest ;  but  thousands  of  other 
flowers  of  equal  value,  open  in  the  morning,  and  no 
sound  is  heard ;  so  many  souls  blossom  in  mercy  and 
the  world  hears  neither  whirlwind  nor  tempest.  Showers 
frequently  fall  upon  this  earth  too  gently  to  be  heard, 
though  truly  at  other  seasons  the  rattling  drops  proclaim 
them.  Grace  also  droppeth,  like  the  gentle  dew  from 
heaven,  on  souls  whom  Jesus  would  favor,  and  they  know 
nothing  of  heavy  hail  and  drenching  torrents.  Be  con- 
cerned to  flee  for  refuge  to  Jesus,  but  ask  not  that  the 
avenger  of  blood  may  almost  overtake  thee.  Be  content 
to  enter  the  ark  like  a  sheep  led  by  its  shepherd,  desire 
not  to  come  like  an  unruly  bullock  which  must  be  driven 
to  the  door  with  stripes.  Jesus  cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
"Lazarus,  come  forth,"  but  the  restoration  was  as  easily 
efi*ected  when  he  gently  said,  "Maid,  arise."  Zaccheus 
was  called  from  the  tree  with  a  voice  that  the  crowd 
could  hear,  but  it  was  a  still  voice  which  in  the  garden 
said  "Mary."  Let  us  be  content  with  gentle  wounds, 
and  let  us  not  seek  heavy  blows  as  a  proof  of  his  faith- 
fulness. 

Effected  by  divine  power. — "  A  river  flowing  with 
a  rapid  and  majestic  current  to  the  sea  would  defy  the 
efibrts  of  the  whole  world  to  turn  it  back  again  to  its 


64  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

source ;  yet  by  the  returning  tide  it  is  not  only  arrested 
in  its  course,  bulf  driven  up  again  with  equal  rapidity 
towards  the  fountain-head.  It  is  thus  that  a  sinner, 
when  rushing  with  the  whole  current  of  his  affections 
towards  this  present  world,  is  stopped  in  his  career  of 
sin,  and  turned  back  with  an  irresistible  impulse  towards 
high  and  heavenly  things.  Let  men,  yea,  let  all  the 
angels  in  heaven,  attempt  to  effect  this  change,  and  their 
united  efforts  would  be  in  vain." — Simeon. 

COURAGE. 

"True  courage  is  unassuming;  true  piety,  serious 
and  humble." — Robert  Hall. 

"  TniNGS  out  of  hope,  are  compassed  oft  with  ven- 
turing." 

"A  GREAT  deal  of  talent  is  lost  to  the  world  for  want 
of  a  little  courage." — Sidney  Smith. 

"  Courage  ought  to  have  eyes  as  well  as  arms." 

He  who  is  truly  courageous  fears  but  two  beings  in 
the  universe — God  and  himself.  He  fears  lest  his  own 
rash  passions  or  mistaken  views  may  lead  him  wrong, 
but  once  assured  that  he  is  right,  he  cares  not  for  one 
man  nor  many  men.  That  which  you  are  convinced  is 
right,  do ;  that  which  you  are  convinced  is  wrong,  avoid, 
without  regard  to  the  frowns  or  the  smiles  of  any  or  of 
all  others ;  only  so  can  you  prove  yourself  courageous. 
Never  let  fear  of  what  man  may  say  or  do  cause  you  to 
do  that  which  your  own  heart  tells  you  is  wrong,  which 
would  be  displeasing  to  God. 

"  The  coward  will  call  himself  a  wary  man ;  and  the 
miser  calls  himself  frugal." — Bacon. 

"  The  servants  of  the  Lord  should  be  as  bold  for 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  65 

their  Master,  as  the  devil's  servants  are  for  theirs.*' — 
Countess  of  Warwick. 

"  Oh  how  uncomely  a  sight  it  is,  a  bold  sinner  and  a 
fearful  saint !  one  resolved  to  be  wicked,  and  a  Christian 
wavering  in  his  holy  course ;  to  see  guilt  put  innocency 
to  flight,  and  hell  keep  the  field,  impudently  braving  it 
with  displayed  banners  of  open  profaneness,  and  saints 
to  hide  their  colors  for  shame,  and  run  from  them  for 
fear,  who  should  rather  wrap  themselves  in  chains,  and 
die  upon  the  place,  than  thus  betray  the  glorious  name 
of  God,  which  is  called  upon  them,  to  the  scorn  of  the 
uncircumcised.  Take  heart  therefore,  0  ye  saints,  and 
be  strong;  your  cause  is  good,  God  himself  espouseth 
your  quarrel,  who  hath  appointed  you  his  own  Son, 
General  of  the  field,  called  the  '  Captain  of  our  salvation.* 
He  shall  lead  you  on  with  courage  and  bring  you  ofi"  with 
honor. ' ' —  Gurnall. 

"  We  fear  man  so  much,  because  we  fear  God  so  little; 
one  fear  cures  another,  as  one  fire  draws  out  another." — 
Gurnall. 

CiiRYSOSTOM  before  the  Roman  Emperor  was  a  beau- 
tiful example  of  true  Christian  courage.  The  Emperor 
threatened  him  with  banishment,  if  he  would  still  remain 
a  Christian.  Chrysostom  replied,  "  Thou  canst  not,  for 
the  world  is  my  Father's  house ;  thou  canst  not  banish 
me."  "  But  I  will  slay  thee,"  said  the  Emperor.  "  Nay, 
but  thou  canst  not,"  said  the  noble  champion  of  the  faith 
again;  "for  my  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God."  "I 
will  take  away  thy  treasures."  "Nay,  that  thou  canst 
not,"  was  the  retort;  "for,  in  the  first  place,  I  have  none 
that  thou  knowest  of.  My  treasure  is  in  heaven,  and 
mj  heart  is  there  "  "But  I  will  drive  thee  away  from 
6  * 


66  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

man,  and  thou  shalt  have  no  friend  left."  *'Nay,  and 
that  thou  canst  not,"  once  more  said  the  faithful  witness, 
"  for  I  have  a  Friend  in  heaven,  from  whom  thou  canst 
not  separate  me.  I  defy  thee ;  there  is  nothing  thou 
canst  do  to  hurt  me." 

Jerome  of  Prague. — ^When  the  executioner  went  be- 
hind him  to  set  fire  to  the  pile,  "  Come  here,"  said  the 
martyr,  "  and  kindle  it  before  my  eyes  ;  for  if  I  dreaded 
such  a  sight,  I  should  never  have  come  to  this  place, 
when  I  had  a  free  opportunity  to  escape."  The  fire  was 
kindled  and  he  then  sang  a  hymn,  which  was  soon  stopped 
by  the  encircling  flames. 

Luther. — When  Luther  was  summoned  to  attend  the 
diet  at  Worms,  his  friends,  notwithstanding  the  safe- 
conduct  granted  to  him  by  the  Emperor,  Charles  V., 
apprehending  danger  to  his  person,  would  have  dissuaded 
him  from  going  thither.  Luther  replied,  "  I  am  deter- 
mined to  enter  the  city  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesua 
Christ,  though  as  many  devils  should  oppose  me  as  there 
are  tiles  upon  all  the  houses  at  Worms."  He  was  accom- 
panied from  Wirtemberg  by  some  divines  and  one  hundred 
horse;  but  he  took  only  eight  horsemen  into  Worms. 
When  he  stepped  out  of  the  carriage,  he  said  in  the 
presence  of  a  great  number  of  persons,  "  God  shall  be 
on  my  side." 

Hooper. — Bishop  Hooper  was  condemned  to  be  burned 
at  Gloucester  in  Queen  Mary's  reign.  A  gentleman, 
with  the  view  of  inducing  him  to  recant,  said  to  him, 
"Life  is  sweet,  and  death  is  bitter."  Hooper  replied, 
"  The  death  to  come  is  more  bitter,  and  the  Hfe  to  come 
more  sweet.  I  am  come  hither  to  end  this  life  and  suffer 
death,  because  I  will  not  gainsay  the  truth  I  have  here 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  67 

formerly  taught  you."  When  brought  to  the  stake,  a 
box  with  a  pardon  from  the  Queen  in  it  was  set  before 
him.  The  determined  martyr  cried  out,  "If  you  love 
my  soul,  away  with  it !  if  you  love  my  soul,  away  with 
it!" 

Latimer. — In  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  Queen 
Mary,  a  pursuivant  was  sent  to  bring  Bishop  Latimer  to 
London,  of  which  he  had  notice  six  hours  before  he 
arrived.  But  instead  of  fleeing,  he  prepared  for  his 
journey  to  London ;  and  when  the  pursuivant  was  come, 
he  said  to  him,  ''  My  friend,  you  are  welcome.  I  go  as 
willingly  to  London,  to  give  an  account  of  my  faith,  as 
ever  I  went  to  any  place  in  the  world." 

John  Knox. — It  was  said  by  a  nobleman  at  his 
grave,  "  Here  lies  one,  who  never  feared  the  face  of 
man." 

COVETOUSNESS. 

Covetous  persons  are  like  sponges,  which  greedily 
drink  in  water;  but  return  very  little,  until  they  are 
squeezed. 

A  covetous  person  wants  what  he  has,  as  well  as  what 
he  has  not ;  because  he  is  never  satisfied  with  it. 

He  is  a  covetous  man,  whom  Christ  cannot  satisfy. 

"A  wise  man  will  desire  no  more  than  he  can  get 
justly,  use  soberly,  distribute  cheerfully,  and  leave  con- 
tentedly. ' ' — Bacon, 

In  old  peopl|j. — "  Covetousness  is  a  vice  that  loves 
to  dwell  in  an  old  and  ruinous  cottage,  and  yet  in  age 
can  have  no  honest  color  for  niggardness  and  insatiable 
desire.  A  young  man  might  plead  the  uncertainty  of 
his  estate,  and  doubt  of  his  future  need ;  but  an  old  man 


68  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

has  his  set  period  before  him.  Since  this  humor  is  sa 
necessarily  annexed  to  age,  I  will  turn  it  the  right  way 
and  nourish  it  in  myself.  The  older  I  grow,  the  more 
covetous  will  I  be — but  of  the  riches  not  of  the  world  I 
am  leaving,  but  of  the  world  I  am  entering  upon.  It  is 
good  to  covet  what  I  may  have  and  cannot  leave  behind 
me." — Bishop  Hall. 

Folly  of. — "If  you  should  see  a  man  that  had  a 
large  pond  of  water  yet  living  in  continual  thirst,  not 
suffering  himself  to  drink  half  a  draught  for  fear  of 
lessening  his  pond ;  if  you  should  see  him  wasting  his 
time  and  strength  in  fetching  more  water  to  his  pond, 
always  thirsty,  yet  always  carrying  a  bucket  of  water  in 
his  hand,  watching  early  and  late  to  catch  the  drops  of 
rain,  gaping  after  every  cloud,  and  running  greedily  into 
every  mire  and  mud  in  hopes  of  water,  and  always  study- 
ing how  to  make  every  ditch  empty  itself  into  the  pond ; 
if  you  should  see  him  grow  gray  in  these  anxious  labors, 
and  at  last  end  a  careful  thirsty  life  by  falling  into  his 
own  pond,  would  you  not  say  that  such  a  one  was  not 
only  the  author  of  his  own  disquiet,  but  was  foolish 
enough  to  be  reckoned  among  madmen?  But  foolish 
and  absurd  as  this  character  is,  it  does  not  represent  half 
the  follies  and  absurd  disquiets  of  the  covetous  man." — 
Law's  Serious  Call 

"  A  SHIP  may  be  over-laden  with  silver  even  into  sink- 
ing, and  yet  have  compass  and  bulk  enough  to  hold  ten 
times  more.  So  a  covetous  man,  though  he  have  enough 
to  sink  him,  yet  never  hath  he  enough  to  satisfy  him. 
Thus  a  circle  cannot  fill  a  triangle,  neither  can  the  whole 
world  (if  it  were  to  be  compassed)  the  heart  of  man ;  a 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  69 

man  may  as  easily  fill  a  chest  with  grace  as  the  heart 
with  gold." — Spencer. 

"It  IS  REMARKABLE,"  says  Mr.  Venn,  "that  the 
covetousness  against  which  we  are  so  earnestly  warned 
in  God's  word  is  not  of  the  scandalous  kind,  but  such  as 
may  govern  the  heart  of  a  man  who  is  esteemed  very 
virtuous  and  excellent  by  the  world.  In  Psalm  x.,  the 
covetous,  whom  the  Lord  is  said  to  abhor,  are  the  very 
persons  of  whom  the  wicked  speak  well,  which  could 
never  be  the  case  did  their  love  of  money  make  them 
either  villainous  in  their  practice  or  miserably  penurious 
in  their  temper,  for  men  of  this  stamp  none  commend." 

Punishment  of. — Old  stories  are  often  good  stories. 
The  story  of  Midas,  the  Phrygian  king,  is  well  known  as 
an  illustration  of  a  covetous  man's  desire  when  granted. 
This  ancient  monarch  asked  a  favor  of  the  gods,  and 
they  agreed  to  grant  him  whatever  he  should  desire; 
the  monarch,  overjoyed,  resolved  to  make  the  favor  in- 
exhaustible. He  prayed  that  whatever  he  touched  might 
be  turned  into  gold.  The  prayer  was  granted,  and  bitter 
were  the  consequences.  Whatever  the  poor  king  touched, 
did  turn  to  gold.  He  laid  his  hand  upon  the  rock, 
and  it  became  a  huge  mass  of  gold  of  priceless  value ; 
he  clutched  his  oaken  staff,  and  it  became  in  his  hand  a 
bar  of  virgin  gold.  At  first  the  monarch's  joy  was  un- 
bounded, and  he  returned  to  his  palace  the  most  favored 
of  mortals.  Alas !  for  the  short-sightedness  of  man. 
He  sat  at  table,  and  all  he  touched  turned  in  mockery 
of  his  wish  to  gold — pure,  solid  gold.  Then  the  convic- 
tion came  rushing  upon  his  humbled  mind  that  he  must 
perish  from  his  grasping  wish ;  die  in  the  midst  of  plenty, 
and  remembering  the  ominous  saying  he  had  heard,  '  the 


70  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

gods  themselves  cannot  take  back  their  gifts/ — he 
howled  to  the  sternly-smiling  Dionysius  to  restore  to  him 
the  coarsest,  vilest  food,  and  deliver  him  from  the  curse 
of  gold. 

The  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. — "  As  I  stood  One  day  by 
Mr.  Jeffrys,"  says  Mrs.  Jeffrys  in  her  Journal,  "  cate- 
chising the  children,  I  asked  them  which  of  the  com- 
mandments was  most  difficult  to  observe  ?  One,  after  a 
long  pause,  mentioned  one,  and  another  a  different  pre- 
cept ;  till  at  last,  a  boy  about  twelve  years  old  said,  *  The 
last  is  the  hardest.'  Mr.  Jeffrys  said,  ^  Why  is  it  so,  my 
boy  ?'  He  replied,  *  Because,  for  one  who  is  poor,  to  see 
another  possessing  a  great  deal  of  money,  and  great 
deal  of  clothes,  and  much  cattle  and  rice,  without  wish- 
ing for  some  of  them,  is  very  hard ;  I  think  no  person 
can  keep  this  commandment.'  " —  Whitecross's  Anec- 
dotes. 

CROSS-BEARING. 

"  Christ  and  his  cross,  is  better  than  the  world  and  its 
crown." — Di/er. 

"  True  believers  are  more  studious  how  to  adorn  the 
cross  than  to  avoid  it ;  they  deem  it  better  to  be  saved  in 
troubled  waters,  than  to  be  drowned  in  the  calm  ocean." 

"  Time  is  short,  and  if  your  cross  be  heavy,  remember 
you  have  not  far  to  carry  it." 

"  Welcome  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  bear  it  triumph- 
antly ;  but  see  that  it  be  in  deed  Christ's  cross,  and  not 
thine  own.*' — Wilcox. 

Our  Lord's  words  are :  '^ Take  up'' thj  cross.  Some 
people,  it  has  been  well  said,  yield  a  kind  of  constrained, 
reluctant  obedience  to  the  command.     Not  daring  to 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  71 

refuse  entire  compliance,  they  drag  it  along  the  gi^und 
after  them,  in  moody  and  sullen  murmuring  gloom. 
True  love  takes  up  the  cross,  if  not  with  joy,  yet  with 
a  cheerful  submission  and  a  bright  and  chastened  spirit." 

In  reference  to  crosses  generally,  take  this  advice : 
—"Make  yourself  none,  and  make  good  use  of  all." — 
Thomas  Fuller. 

"  Many  will  put  to  sea  in  summer  weather  when  the 
breeze  is  steady  and  the  tide  is  fair ;  but  we  must  pursue 
our  voyage  when  the  gale  is  furious,  and  the  currents 
contrary,  and  the  breakers  high;  Many  will  start  on  the 
journey  when  the  road  is  smooth,  and  the  prospect  pleas- 
ing, and  fragrant  flowers  and  gushing  streams  refresh  the 
senses  ;  but  we  must  plod  on,  bearing  the  cross  through 
summer  torrents,  up  rocky  heights,  along  weary  wastes, 
in  darkness  and  in  gloom.  Many  will  deck  themselves 
in  the  soldier's  dress,  and  muster  on  parade,  when  only 
the  mimicry  of  war  is  to  be  exhibited;  but  we  must 
stand  to  our  colors,  and  keep  our  ranks,  when  the  enemy 
is  drawn  up  in  battle-array,  when  his  fiery  darts  hiss 
around  us,  and  his  impetuous  charge  bears  down  upon 
our  lines.  Yes — we  must  carry  the  cross  !  It  has  ever 
been  the  law  of  the  Chnrch  militant.  Now,  as  in  the 
olden  times,  Christ  proclaims,  '  If  any  man  will  come 
after  me,  let  him  deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross  and 
follow  me.'  " — Newman  Hall. 

DARKNESS. 

Christians  brought  out  of — like  the  diamond. 
— "  Incredible  as  it  may  appear  to  ignorance,  on  whose 
admiring  eyes  it  flashes  rays  of  light,  science  proves  that 
the  diamond  is  formed  of  the  very  same  matter  as  com- 


72  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

mon  \^\\  black  coal.  It  boasts  no  native  light;  and 
dark  in  the  darkness  as  the  mud  or  rock  where  it  lies 
embedded,  it  shines,  if  vath  a  beautiful  yet  with  a  bor- 
rowed splendor.  How  meet  the  emblem  of  the  priceless 
jewels  that  adorn  the  Saviour's  crown  !" — Dr.  Guthrie. 

Inner  darkness. — Goethe's  last  words,  when  his 
sight  was  failing — and  darkness  was  gathering  in  upon 
his  frame,  were  mournfully  significant  of  a  deeper  dark- 
ness that  reigned  within.  "  Open  the  shutters  and  let 
in  more  light !"  Poor  man,  thus  crying  out  for  more 
light,  his  soul  departed. 

Outer  darkness. — "  A  company  of  wretched  beggars, 
who  in  a  dark  night  stand  at  the  door  of  a  wedding-feast ; 
though  they  see  not  the  stately  preparations,  the  fur- 
nished tables,  the  costly  ornaments  of  the  married 
couple  and  guests,  so  fully  and  clearly  and  distinctly  as 
the  guests  themselves  who  sit  at  the  table ;  yet  by  lights 
in  the  windows,  the  voices  ot  mirth,  and  musicians,  with 
the  confused  sound  of  instruments,  the  passage  to  and 
fro  of  attendants  with  their  cheer,  they  cannot  but 
observe  enough,  to  think  themselves  being  excluded,  very 
miserable,  in  comparison  of  those  who  are  attended  at 
the  table,  and  in  the  midst  of  all  their  mirth  and  plenty 
Christ  makes  the  application, — Luke  xiii.  25-28." — 
Jenkyn. 

DEATH.. 

"  Death  to  them  that  be  God's  dear  children  is  no 
other  thing  than  the  despatcher  of  all  displeasure,  the 
end  of  all  travail,  the  door  of  desires,  the  gate  of  glad- 
ness, the  port  of  paradise,  the  haven  of  heaven,  the 
entrance  to  felicity,  the  beginning  of  all  blissfulness.     It 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.    •  ^         73 

is  the  very  bed  of  down  for  the  doleful  bodies  of  God's 
people  to  rest  in,  out  of  which  they  rise  and  awake  most 
fresh  and  lusty  to  life  everlasting.  It  is  a  passage  to  the 
Father,  a  chariot  to  heaven,  the  Lord's  messenger,  a 
going  to  our  home,  a  deliverance  from  bondage  and 
prison,  a  dismission  from  war,  a  security  from  all  sorrows, 
and  a  manumission  from  all  misery.  And  should  we  ^e 
dismayed  at  it?  Should  we  trouble  to  hear  of  it? 
Should  such  a  friend  as  it  be  unwelcome?" — John 
Bradford. 

''  Death  is  but  life  to  a  true  believer ;  it  is  not  his  last 
day,  nor  his  worst  day,  but  in  the  highest  sense  his  best 
day,  and  the  beginning  of  his  better  life.  A  Christian's 
dying  day  will  be  his  enlarging  day,  when  he  shall  be 
freed  from  the  prison  in  which  he  has  long  been  detained, 
and  be  brought  home  to  his  Father's  house.  A  Chris- 
tian's dying  day  will  be  his  resting  day,  when  he  shall 
rest  from  all  sin  and  care  and  trouble.  Job  iii.  17 ;  Kev. 
xiv.  13 ;  his  reaping  day,  when  he  shall  reap  the  fruit 
of  all  he  has  sown  in  tears  and  faith,  Ps.  cxxvi.  5,  6 ; 
Gal.  vi.  7,  8 ;  his  conquering  day,  when  he  shall  triumph 
over  every  enemy  and  even  death  itself  shall  die,  1  Cor. 
XV.  26,  55-57 ;  his  transplanting  day,  from  earth  to 
heaven,  from  a  howling  wilderness  to  a  heavenly  para- 
dise ;  his  robing  day,  to  put  off  the  old  worn-out  rags  of 
flesh  and  put  on  the  new  and  glorious  robes  of  light ;  his 
marriage  day ;  his  coronation  day,  2  Tim.  iv.  8 ;  the  day 
of  his  glory,  the  beginning  of  his  eternal,  perfect  bliss 
with  Christ.'' 

Comes  alike  to  all. — "  The  Psalmist  was  gracious, 
yet  grace  gave  way  to  death.  Death  will,  like  hail  and 
rain,  fall  on  the  best  gardens,  as  well  as  the  wide  wilder- 

7 


74  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

ness ;  the  wheat  is  cut  down  and  carried  into  barns,  as 
well  as  the  tares.  A  godly  man  is  free  from  the  sting 
but  not  from  the  stroke ;  from  the  curse,  but  not  from 
the  cross,  of  death." — Swinnock. 

"  Only  two  men  ever  leaped  that  ditch  into  which  all 
men  fall." 

"  The  ASHES  of  an  oak  in  the  chimney  are  no  epitaph 
of  that  oak,  to  tell  me  how  high  or  how  large  that  was. 
It  tells  me  not  what  flocks  it  sheltered  while  it  stood,  nor 
what  man  it  hurt  when  it  fell.  The  dust  of  great  persons' 
graves  is  speechless  too.  It  says  nothing.  It  distinguishes 
nothing. " — Donne. 

"  The  grave  was  never  intended  to  be  a  sanctuary  to 
defend  sinners  from  the  hand  of  justice,  but  a  close  prison 
to  reserve  them  against  the  day  of  trial,  that  they  may 
be  forthcoming." — G-urnall. 

"They  that  live  without  dying  thoughts  shall  die  with- 
out living  comforts." — Burgess. 

"There  are  no  pockets  in  dead  men's  shrouds." 

"  Those  that  increase  the  endearments  of  life  also  in- 
crease the  fears  of  death." 

"It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  love  what  death  may  touch." 

"  The  ancients  erected  no  altars  to  death,  because  it 
is  inexorable,  and  no  way  to  be  prevailed  upon  or  to  be 
escaped  by  any  of  us." — Wanley. 

"  If  I  wear  a  rose  in  my  bosom,  it  scents  my  whole 
person.  Has  the  Saviour  a  place  in  my  heart?  He 
communicates  the  fragrance  of  his  merits  to  my  soul,  and 
his  Spirit  fills  the  atmosphere  through  which  I  move,  as 
it  were  with  the  breath  of  heaven.  Even  in  death  the 
rose  is  sweet,  passing  sweet,  and  sweetens  every  place 
where  it  lies.     Thus  the  Kose  of  Sharon  has  given  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  75 

fragrance  of  life  to  the  very  chambers  of  death  and  the 
grave,  and  to  that  wardrobe  of  the  saints,  where  their 
material  garments  are  to  be  laid  up,  till  the  morning  of 
the  resurrection,  then  to  be  brought  forth  beautiful  and 
fresh,  fit  for  the  court  of  heaven." — East. 

Man  is,  as  it  were,  a  hook  ;  his  birth  is  the  title-page ; 
his  baptism  the  epistle  dedicatory ;  his  life  and  actions, 
the  contents ;  his  repentance,  the  corrections.  As  for 
the  volumes,  some  are  in  folio,  some  in  quarto,  some  in 
octavo,  and  some  much  smaller ;  some  are  bound  fairly, 
some  plainer ;  some  have  piety  and  godliness  for  their 
subject ;  others  (and  they  too  many)  are  mere  tales  and 
romances ;  but  in  one  respect  all  are  alike ;  in  the  last 
page  of  each  stands  one  word,  Finis — this  is  the  last 
thing  in  every  book.  Such  is  the  life  of  man ;  it  may  be 
long  or  short,  strong  or  feeble,  fair  or  coarse,  holy  or 
profane.  But  death  comes  in  at  the  end,  and  closes  up 
all ;  for  that  is  the  end  of  all. 

"All  men  count  all  mortal  but  themselves'* 
{Young). — "Two  ships  meeting  on  the  sea,  the  men  in 
either  ship  think  themselves  stand  still,  and  the  other  to 
be  swift  of  sail ;  whereas  they  both  sail  onwards  toward 
the  port  intended,  but  the  one  faster  than  the  other. 
Even  so,  men  are  as  ships ;  see  we  an  old  man,  with  a 
staff  in  his  hand,  stooping  downward, — Alas !  poor  old 
man,  say  we,  he  cannot  live  long.  Hear  we  a  passing 
bell  toll, — There  is  one  going  out  of  the  world.  Visit 
we  a  sick  friend,  we  think  he  can  hardly  live  till  morning. 
Thus  we  think  all  other  men  are  dying,  and  we  only 
stand  still ;  whereas,  God  knows  it,  they  may  go  a  little 
before,  and  we  are  sure  to  follow  after ;  John  outruns 
Peter  to  the  sepulchre,  but  Peter  is  not  far  behind  him. 


76  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

Let  every  man,  then,  be  thus  persuaded  of  himself  that 
Le  shall  and  must  die.  None  can  be  so  sottish  as  to  be 
persuaded  that  they  shall  never  die,  yet  (which  is  a  sad 
thing)  there  is  none  so  old,  but  thinks  he  may  live  one 
year  longer ;  and  though  in  the  general  he  say,  '  All  must 
die,'  yet  in  the  false  numbering  of  his  own  particular 
days,  he  thinks  to  live  forever." — Spencer. 

A  Christian  seeing  a  painter  painting  death,  as  usual, 
as  a  skeleton  with  a  scythe,  beautifully  remarked: — 
"  For  my  part  I  should  paint  Death  as  an  angel  with  a 
golden  key." 

"  Death  stung  himself  to  death  when  he  stung 
Christ"  (Romaine). — "Death  shot  his  last  arrow  at 
Christ  upon  the  cross,  and  it  went  straight  through  the 
heart,  and  fixed  upon  the  cross ;  but  when  he  tried  to 
pull  it  out,  he  left  the  sting  behind." — Christmas  Evans. 

The  picture. — '^  Gotthold  visited  a  summer-house, 
which  was  built  in  a  garden  in  the  suburbs  of  a  great 
city,  and  adorned  with  a  collection  of  beautiful  paintings. 
As  lie  looked  about  liim,  he  observed  a  piece,  in  which  a 
vault  with  a  double  row  of  pillars  was  depicted  with  so 
much  artistic  skill  and  fidelity  of  the  rules  of  perspective, 
that  the  spectator  could  scarcely  believe  that  the  surface 
on  which  he  looked  was  flat,  but  imagined  that  he  saw 
through  it,  and  that  the  pillars  were  ranged  behind  the 
canvas.  Well,  said  Gotthold  to  himself,  here  one  object 
is  represented  to  me  as  near  and  another  as  remote,  and 
yet  that  which  seems  remote  is,  in  reality,  as  near  as 
that  which  is  so  in  appearance.  In  the  same  way,  we 
often  imagine  that  death  is  a  great  way  off,  and  that  we 
have  a  long  succession  of  years  through  which  to  live ; 
whereas,  without  our  being  aware  of  it,  he  is  close  at 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  77 

hand,  and  lurks  behind  the  foremost  pillar." — G-otthoMs 
Emblems. 

Leighton  has  many  beautiful  thoughts  about  death, 
He  would  compare  the  heavy  clod  of  clay,  with  which 
the  soul  is  encumbered,  to  the  miry  boots  of  which  the 
traveler  gladly  divests  himself  on  finishing  his  journey ; 
and  he  could  not  disguise  his  own  wish  to  be  speedily 
unclothed,  instead  of  lingering  below,  until  his  garments 
were  worn  out  and  dropped  off  through  age.  In  general, 
his  temper  was  serene  rather  than  gay ;  but  his  nephew 
stated  that  if  ever  he  rose  to  an  unnatural  pitch  of 
vivacity,  it  was  when  some  illness  attacked  him ;  when, 
from  the  shaking  of  the  prison  door,  he  was  led  to  hope 
that  some  of  these  brisk  blasts  would  throw  them  open 
and  give  him  the  release  he  coveted, — then,  he  seemed 
to  stand  tip-toe  on  the  margin  of  eternity,  eagerly  waiting 
the  summons  to  depart,  and  feeding  his  soul  with  the 
prospect  of  immortal  life  and  glory. 

Owen,  in  his  last  hours,  when  on  his  dying  bed,  dic- 
tated a  short  letter  to  a  friend.  The  amanuensis  had 
written, — "I  am  yet  in  the  land  of  the  living,"  when 
Owen  at  once  arrested  him, — "Stop,  alter  that;  write,  I 
am  yet  in  the  land  of  the  dying^  but  I  hope  soon  to  be  in 
the  land  of  the  living  J" 

Luther. — The  last  words  he  was  heard  to  utter  were : 
— "Into  thine  hands  I  commit  my  spirit;  thou  hast  re- 
deemed me,  0  Lord  God  of  truth"  (Psalm  xxxi.  5). 

Melancthon,  when  asked  by  his  friends  if  there  was 
anything  he  wanted,  calmly  answered, — "No,  nothing 
bnt  heaven,"  and  then  gently  fell  asleep  in  Christ. 

The  Rev.  W.  Grimshaw,  of  Haworth,  when  asked 
on  his  death-bed  how  he  was,  replied, — "As  happy  as  1 
7  « 


78  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

can  be  on  earth,  and  as  sure  of  glory  as  if  I  were  in  it. 
I  have  nothing  but  to  step  from  this  bed  into  heaven.  I 
have  my  foot  upon  the  threshold  already." 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Adams  (Author  of  "Private 
Thoughts"),  said,  "Thank  God  for  decay,  for  pains,  and 
suffering;  thank  God  that  I  was  born  to  die,  thank  God 
that  I  can  die;  thank  God  for  that  the  time  is  near; 
thank  God  for  the  prospect  and  hope  of  a  better  world, 
and  thank  God  for  strong  consolation  through  Christ." 

The  Rev.  R.  W.  Hamilton,  when  informed  by  the 
medical  men,  after  their  consultation,  that  no  hope  was 
entertained  of  his  recovery,  and  that  his  end  was  near, 
hailed  it  with  joy,  and  exclaimed,  "  This  is  the  best  news 
you  could  have  brought  me."  Shortly  before  his  death 
he  repeated  the  two  beautiful  verses  of  Cowper's  hymn, 
— "Lord,  I  believe  Thou  hast  prepared.  Unworthy 
though  I  be,"  &c. ;  and  when  he  came  to  the  words, 
"'Tis  strung  and  tuned  for  endless  years,"  he  added, 
"But  I  did  not  string  it," — and  then  went  on. 

The  Rev.  Ebenezer  Erskine,  when  near  death,  was 
asked,  "  Sir,  you  have  given  us  much  good  advice, — may 
I  ask  you  what  you  are  now  doing  with  your  own  soul?" 
"I  am  just  doing  with  it,"  he  replied,  "what  I  did  forty 
years  ago ;  I  am  resting  on  that  word,  ^  I  am  the  Lord 
thy  God.'  "  Another  friend  put  the  question,  "Sir,  are 
you  not  afraid  of  your  sins?"  "Indeed,  no,"  was  his 
answer;  "ever  since  I  knew  Christ,  I  have  never  thought 
highly  of  my  frames  and  duties,  nor  am  I  slavishly  afraid 
of  my  sins."  At  another  time  he  said,  "I  know  that 
when  my  soul  forsakes  this  tabernacle  of  clay,  it  will  fly 
as  naturally  to  my  Saviour's  bosom  as  the  bird  to  its  be- 
loved nest." 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  79 

Dr.  Judson. — "I  am  not  tired  of  my  work,"  said  he, 
"neither  am  I  tired  of  the  world;  yet  when  Christ  calls 
me  home,  I  shall  go  with  the  gladness  of  a  boy  bounding 
away  from  school.  Death  will  never  take  me  by  surprise, 
do  not  be  afraid  of  that,  I  feel  so  strong  in  Christ." 

The  Rev.  Legh  Richmond. — "Brother,  brother, 
strong  evidences,  nothing  but  strong  evidences  will  do  at 
such  an  hour  as  this.  I  have  looked  here  and  looked 
there  for  them — all  have  failed  me ;  and  so  I  cast  myself 
on  the  sovereign,  free,  and  full  grace  of  God  in  the  cove- 
nant by  Jesus  Christ.  And  there,  brother  (looking  at 
me  with  a  smile  of  tranquility  quite  indescribable),  there 
I  have  found  peace." 

Thomas  Ward,  a  railway  laborer. — "I  see  Him 
now !  He  is  here !  He  is  near.  He  is  with  me.  He  is 
around  me.  He  will  never  let  me  go.  How  could  I 
ever  doubt  him  ?  He  is  the  Saviour  of  sinners.  He  is 
m^  Saviour.  Jesus  is  mine  and  I  am  his.  His  blood 
has  bought  me.  I  never  knew  what  he  is  till  now.  Oh, 
tell  them  all  to  come  to  him,  to  come  now  !  Tell  every 
man  you  meet.  Christ  for  every  man !  Jesus  Christ 
FOR  every  man!  J%  blessed,  blessed  Saviour!  world 
without  end.     Amen.     Blessed,  blessed  Jesus!" 

"Five  minutes  in  glory  will  make  up  for  all  this 
suffering,"  was  the  joyous  exclamation  of  Jamie  Laing, 
the  "lily  gathered"  (see  McCheyne's  Memoir").  "A 
little  after  the  New  Year,  he  said,  ^Margaret,  I  am  not 
to  die  yet,  for  I  have  mair  to  suffer;  but  I  am  willing, 
though  it  should  be  for  years.'  And  at  another  time, 
when  his  father  said,  'Poor  Jamie!'  he  replied,  'Ah, 
father,  don't  call  me  poor ;  they  that  have  Christ  have 
all  things.'     A  short  time  after  he  believed,  he  said, 


80  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

*  Margaret,  I  will  tell  you  my  dream.'  Margaret  was 
afraid  of  some  fancy  leading  him  astray,  and  asked  what 
it  was.  Jamie  said,  *I  thought  there  was  a  ladder,  the 
foot  of  it  on  earth,  and  the  top  of  it  reached  to  heaven. 
I  thought  it  was  heaven  I  saw.  There  was  a  great  mul- 
titude of  people,  but  I  knew  none  of  them  but  Patrick 
and  Jamsie  Wallace.  When  I  was  standing  on  the  first 
or  second  step  of  the  ladder,  Jamsie  Wallace  looked 
down  and  said,  '^  Aye,  here's  another  one  coming  stepping 
up.'' '  He  explained  it  by  referring  to  Jacob's  ladder, 
and  that  Jesus  is  the  ladder.  Margaret  said,  ^Aye, 
and  you  are  just  on  the  first  step.'  " — McCheyne's  Re- 
mains. 

Richard  Hooker  said  before  his  death,  "  I  am  going 
to  leave  a  world  disordered  and  a  Church  disorganized, 
for  a  world  and  a  Church  where  all  is  beauty,  harmony, 
meekness,  glory." 

It  was  a  good  saying  of  one  to  a  great  lord  upon  his 
showing  his  stately  house  and  pleasant  gardens,  "Sir, 
you  had  need  make  sure  of  heaven,  or  else  when  you  die 
you  will  be  a  very  great  loser." — Brooks. 

"  When  shall  I  get  wings?" — A  little  child  had  lis- 
tened with  deep  interest  to  her  mother's  glowing  descrip- 
tion of  heaven.  Her  heart  was  filled  with  wonder  as 
she  heard  of  the  golden  streets  and  happy  angels  and  re- 
deemed inhabitants.  Just  then  her  eye  fell  upon  a  pic- 
ture hanging  upon  the  wall,  in  which  an  angel  was  repre- 
sented hovering  over  the  earth  with  outspread  wings. 
The  doubt  flitted  across  her  mind  how  could  she  ever  fly 
to  do  the  will  of  her  Saviour,  unless  she  had  an  angel's 
wing?  She  had  hands  and  feet  and  tongue  to  speak  and 
write  for  Jesus,  but  these  could  not  help  her  to  fly,  so 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  81 

Julia   asked  her  mother,   '' Mother ^   when   shall   I   get 
wings : 

DENIALS,  GOD'S. 

''Baby  is  now  one  of  mj  lesson-books.  I  read  a  word 
in  it  for  you,  as  I  was  playing  with  her  the  other  day. 
She  had  hid  her  flowers  between  my  hands,  and  when  she 
tried  to  open  them,  I  kept  them  closed,  not  because  I 
wished  to  deprive  her  of  her  treasures,  but  for  the  pleasure 
of  trying  her  little  strength ;  and  when  I  yielded  to  it, 
her  laugh  was  so  merry.  I  thought  it  was  thus  with  thee. 
Fan.  Your  flowers  are  hid  in  God's  hand.  You  have 
asked  for  them,  and  he  will  not  open  it,  but  not  because 
he  means  to  deprive  you  of  them,  but  to  try  your  childish 
strength.  How  joyful  the  shout  of  triumph  will  be,  when 
he  yields  to  it.  My  baby  found  only  the  broken  pieces 
of  stock  she  had  hidden,  but  you  will  find  your  broken 
flowers  transformed  into  a  wreath  of  heavenly  glory." — 
I].  H.  Birks,  ''Doing  and  Suffering.'' 

DEPRAVITY. 

"Nothing  surely  can  show  more  clearly  the  doctrine 
of  entire  depravity  than  the  fact,  that  when  God's  infinite 
love  had  provided  a  Mediator  between  God  and  men,  in 
the  way  suitable  for  man's  wants,  it  still  required  another 
person  of  the  Trinity  to  apply  the  remedy,  and  make 
men  feel  their  need  of  it." — Dr.  Gumming. 

It  is  a  strong  proof  of  the  perversity  of  human 
things,  that  evil  has  so  much  more  power  in  producing 
its  efi'ects  than  good.  One  drop  of  ink  will  blacken  a 
whole  glassful  of  pure  water ;  but  one  drop  of  fair  water 
will  produce  no  perceptible  impression  in  cleansing  a 


82  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS! 

whole  glassful  of  ink.  Sharp  pain  in  a  tooth  or  a  toe 
will  make  the  whole  bodj  miserable ;  but  if  the  rest  of 
the  body  be  wrong,  an  easy  tooth  or  toe  will  not  cure  the 
pain. 

The  old  church. — "  We  have  sometimes  thought  that 
we  saw  the  fittest  emblem  of  man's  fallen  state  in  the 
ruins  of  an  old  church.  Now  deserted,  now  desecrated, 
defiled,  what  a  change  is  there !  Save  in  the  ivy,  that, 
like  pity,  clings  to  the  crumbling  wall,  sustaining  and 
veiling  its  decay,  and  in  some  sweet  wild  flower  rooted 
in  window-sill  or  gaping  rent,  beauty  and  life  are 
gone.  Yet  there,  once  on  a  time,  many  a  person  was 
baptized  to  God ;  there  holy  words  were  spoken,  holy 
vows  were  taken,  and  holy  communions  held.  There  are 
eyes  in  glory  that  turn  with  interest  to  that  lonely  spot ; 
God  and  man  often  met  within  these  roofless  walls ;  '  This 
and  that  man  was  born  there.'  But  now  the  only  sounds 
are  the  sighing  of  the  wind  or  the  roar  of  the  storm — 
the  hoot  of  the  owl  or  the  hiss  of  the  serpent ;  nor  life 
is  found  there  now,  but  in  the  brood  of  the  night-bird, 
which  has  its  nest  among  the  ruins  above,  or  in  the  worms 
that  fatten  upon  the  dead  in  their  cold  graves  below. 
'  The  glory  is  departed.'  And  once  a  shrine  of  God, 
but  now  a  deserted  sanctuary,  may  we  not  write  '  Icha- 
bod'  on  the  heart  ?  The  ruin  resounds  with  the  echoes 
which  the  ear  of  fancy  hears  muttering  among  the  deso- 
late heaps  of  Babylon, — 'Fallen,  fallen,  fallen.'  " — Dr. 
Guthrie. 

The  picture. — "  A  painter  once  wanted  a  picture  of 
Innocence,  and  drew  the  likeness  of  a  child  at  prayer. 
The  little  supplicant  was  kneeling  beside  his  mother; 
the  palms  of  his  uplifted  hands  were  reverently  pressed 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  83 

together,  his  rosy  cheek  spoke  of  health,  and  his  mild 
blue  eye  was  upturned  with  the  expression  of  devotion 
and  peace.  The  portrait  of  young  Rupert  was  much 
prized  by  the  painter,  and  hung  up  on  his  study  wall, 
and  called  Innocence.  Years  passed  away,  and  the 
painter  became  an  old  man.  Still  the  picture  hung 
there.  He  had  often  thought  of  painting  a  counterpart 
— the  picture  of  guilt,  but  had  not  found  the  opportu- 
nity. At  last  he  effected  his  purpose  by  paying  a  visit 
to  a  neighboring  jail.  On  the  damp  floor  of  his  cell  lay 
a  wretched  culprit,  named  Randall,  heavily  ironed. 
Wasted  was  his  body,  and  hollow  his  eye ;  vice  was  visi- 
ble in  his  face.  The  painter  succeeded  admirably,  and 
the  portrait  of  young  Rupert  and  old  Randall  were  hung 
side  by  side,  for  Innocence  and  Guilt.  But  who  was 
young  Rupert  and  who  was  Randall?  Alas!-  the  two 
were  one  !  Old  Randall  was  young  Rupert,  led  astray 
by  bad  companions,  and  ending  his  life  in  the  damp  and 
disgraceful  dungeon." — Scott's  Sahhath  School  Teacher.' 

DILIGENCE. 

"  To  perform  lowly  labors  is  not  mean,  but  it  is  mean 
to  consider  it  such." 

"  Indolence  is  the  rust  of  the  mind ;  diligence  and 
industry  keep  it  bright." 

"  Idleness  is  hard  work  for  those  that  are  not  used 
to  it,  and  dull  work  for  those  that  are." 

"  There  is  no  art  nor  science  that  is  too  difficult  for 
industry  to  attain  to  ;  it  is  the  power  of  the  tongue, 
and  makes  a  man  understood  all  over  the  world.  It  is 
the  philosopher's  stone,  that  turns  all  metals  and  even 
stones  into  gold,  and  suffers  no  want  to  break  into  its 


84  ILLUSTRAtlVE   GATHERINGS. 

dwelling.  It  is  the  north-west  passage,  that  brings  the 
merchant's  ships  to  him  by  a  nearer  and  shorter  path. 
In  a  word,  it  conquers  all  enemies,  and  gives  wings  to 
blessings." 

"As  Satan  selects  his  disciples  when  they  are  idle,  so 
our  Saviour  chose  his  while  they  were  busy  at  their 
trade ;  either  mending  their  nets  or  casting  them  into 
the  sea.  Nay,  he  himself  stooped  to  a  trade,  and  was  a 
carpenter. ' ' — Farrindon. 

Carnal  men  seem  to  reckon  an  ideal  idleness  as  among 
the  beatitudes  of  heaven ;  we  should  rather  reckon  it 
among  the  tortures  of  hell.  Augustine  was  used  to  call 
it  a  burying  a  man  alive. 

Melancthon  used  to  say,  when  he  saw  others  pos- 
sessed of  wealth,  "  Let  them  take  the  riches,  give  me 
the  work." 

The  Rev.  T.  Carter,  one  of  the  Puritan  ministers, 
once  came  unexpectedly  behind  one  of  his  acquaint- 
ances, who  was  busily  engaged  in  his  trade  as  a  tanner. 
He  gave  him  a  pleasant  tap  on  the  shoulder ;  the  good 
man  looked  behind  him,  started,  and  said,  "Sir,  I  am 
ashamed  that  you  should  find  me  thus  employed."  Mr. 
Carter  replied,  "  Let  Christ,  when  he  cometh,  find  me  so 
doing."  "What!"  said  the  good  man,  "doing  this?" 
"Yes,"  said  Mr.  C,  "faithfully  performing  the  duties 
of  my  calling." — Cheevers  Anecdotes, 

DIVISIONS  IN  THE  CHURCH. 

"  If  we  thoroughly  examine,  we  shall  find  that  pride, 
policy,  and  power  are  the  three  principal  ingredients  in 
all  the  disturbance  of  churches." — Henry. 

"  As  you  cannot  have  light  without  variety  of  colors, 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  85 

SO  you  cannot  have  thought  without  difference  of  opin- 
ion. The  rainbow,  the  creature  of  light,  presents  the 
loveliest  picture  of  unity;  and  yet  the  variety  of  its 
colors  constitutes  its  peculiar  charm.  Suppose  that  a 
man  of  science  were  to  conceive  the  idea  of  reducing  it 
to  a  uniform  whiteness,  and  that  it  were  possible,  by  a 
chemical  process,  to  decompose  this  harmonious  crescent, 
and  to  abstract  from  it  color  after  color ;  the  bow  itself 
would  speedily  vanish  from  the  view,  leaving  the  disap- 
pointed reformer  to  gaze  on  the  dark  cloud  on  whose 
bosom  it  rested.  So  the  narrow-minded  and  cold-hearted 
bigot,  not  content  to  find  in  the  Church  substantial  agree- 
ment amidst  circumstantial  variety,  would  reduce  all  to 
one  single  point  of  his  own  vision ;  and  thus  the  faith 
of  the  gospel  vanishes  under  this  rude  and  violent  pro- 
cess. In  matters  connected  with  religion  there  may  be 
difference  without  opposition ;  variety  without  discord ; 
shades  of  difference  without  real  diversity  of  sentiment. 
It  could  never  be  intended  that  the  people  of  God  should 
all  hold  the  same  opinions ;  if  so,  how  should  the  Apos- 
tle Paul  say  in  reference  to  minor  points  of  belief,  '  Let 
every  man  be  fully  persuaded  in  his  own  mind  ?'  " — Rev. 
James  GrodJcin. 

If  two  ships  at  sea,  being  of  the  same  squadron,  be 
scat1:ered  by  storm  from  each  other,  how  should  they 
come  to  the  relief  of  each  other  ?  If,  again,  they  clash 
together  and  fall  foul,  how  should  the  one  endanger  the 
other  and  herself  too  !  It  was,  of  old,  the  Dutch  device, 
of  two  earthen  pots  swimming  upon  the  water,  with  this 
motto,  ^If  we  knock  together,  we  sink  together.'  And 
most  true  it  is,  that  if  spleen  or  discontent  set  us  too  far 
one  from  another,  or  choler  or  anger  bring  us  too  near, 


86  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

it  cannot  be  but  that  intendment  or  design,  whatsoever 
it  be,  like  Jonah's  gourd,  shall  perish  in  a  moment,  es- 
pecially if  the  viperous  and  hateful  worm  of  dissension 
do  but  smite  it." — Spencer. 

Charles  V.,  Emperor  of  Germany,  at  the  close  of 
his  active  and  stirring  life,  retired  to  a  monastery,  where 
he  amused  himself  by  constructing  clocks.  The  Em- 
peror is  said  to  have  expressed  no  less  regret  than  aston- 
ishment at  the  remembrance  of  his  own  folly,  in  having 
used  such  violent  measures,  to  make  about  twenty  mil- 
lions of  people  agree  in  their  religious  sentiments ;  when 
he  found,  after  repeated  experiments,  with  all  his  skill, 
he  was  unable  to  make  two  clocks  go  exactly  alike  for 
any  length  of  time. 

DUTY. 

"Duties  are  ours,  events  are  God's.  This  removes 
an  infinite  burden  from  the  shoulders  of  a  miserable, 
tempted,  dying  creature.  On  this  consideration  only 
can  he  securely  lay  down  his  head  and  close  his  eyes." — 
Cecil. 

"  Consult  more  what  thy  duty  is  than  what  thy  diffi- 
culty is." — Tillinghast. 

"He" may  do  a  great  deal  that  is  never  idle,  and  he 
may  go  a  great  way  that  is  never  out  of  the  way." 

"A  SUPERFICIAL  CONVICTION  brings  with  it  a  sense  of 
duty,  without  constraining  to  it." 

*"  We  are  made  up  of  nine-tenths  of  duty  and  one-tenth 
of  pleasure." — Elherton  Rectory. 

"  It  is  utterly  impossible  to  keep  the  heart  in  a  pre- 
vailing holy  frame  in  any  one  duty,  unless  it  be  so  in 
and  unto  all  and  every  one.     There  is  a  harmony  in 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  ST 

obedience;  break  but  one  link,  and  you  interrupt  the 
whole." — Owen. 

"A  WELL-TUNED  HEART  must  have  all  its  strings,  all 
its  affections,  ready  to  answer  every  touch  of  God's 
finger." — Owen. 

"If  the  devil  cannot  dissuade  us  from  performing 
duties,  he  will  persuade  us  all  he  can  to  rely  upon  them ; 
and  this  will  as  much  gratify  Satan,  and  as  certainly  ruin 
our  souls,  as  if  we  wholly  neglected  them." — Ahraham 
Caley. 

Keep  the  footpath. — Old  Humphrey  has  a  good 
paper  against  wandering  from  the  path  of  duty,  suggested 
by  a  notice  at  the  entrance  of  a  park, — ''  Take  notice. 
In  walking  through  these  grounds,  you  are  requested  to 
keep  th^ footpath."  Bunyan  has  supplied  the  same  theme 
for  solemn  warning,  in  the  pilgrim  straying  into  Bye-path 
meadow. 

'*'Do  WHATEVER  ought  to  be  done,  no  matter  what 
self-denial  it  may  require,"  was  one  of  Mrs.  Cameron's 
rules ;  and  seldom  was  there  a  happier  heart  or  a  happier 
home.  She  was  greatly  led  to  make  the  resolution  from- 
staying  at  a  house  where  everything  was  done  or  not 
from  the  abhorrence  of  trouble — nothing  done  that  could 
be  helped. 

The  brave  drummer  boy. — Among  all  the  letters 
that  came  home  from  the  East  during  the  Crimean  war, 
one  of  the  most  affecting  was  that  of  a  little  drummer 
boy  to  his  mother.  After  describing  the  hardships  of 
that  memorable  winter,  the  cold  and  biting  and  pitiless 
wind,  the  hunger  and  nakedness,  which  the  army  endured, 
he  concluded  the  letter  with  the  simple  and  touching 


88  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

words,  "But,  mother,  it's  our  duty,  and  for  our  duty  wi 
will  die.'' — Denton  8  Anecdotes. 

"  Observed  duties  maintain  our  credit,  but  secret 
duties  maintain  our  life." — Flavel. 

"  Take  up  all  duties  in  point  of  performance,  and  lay 
them  down  in  point  of  dependence.  Duty  can  never 
have  too  much  of  our  diligence,  nor  too  little  of  our  con- 
fidence."— Byer. 

"  Never  do  you  think  that  you  shall  have  much  of 
His  consolation,  that  tamper  with  duty." — J.  H.  Evans. 

The  late  Bishop  Blomfield  when  once  called  to  re- 
prove one  of  his  clergy  for  immorality  of  conduct,  received 
as  an  excuse  the  reply,  "  My  Lord,  I  never  do  it  when 
on  duty."  "  On  duty,"  replied  the  Bishop,  "when  is  a 
clergyman  ever  off  duty?" 

"  Sins  of  commission  are  usual  punishments  for  siiis 
of  omission.  He  that  leaves  a  duty  may  fear  to  be  left 
to  commit  a  crime." — Gurnall. 

EJACULATORY  PRAYER. 

The  word  comes  from  jaculum,  a  dart,  and  refers  to 
the  archer,  who  directs  his  arrow  on  the  string,  takes  a 
sure  aim,  and  follows  the  arrow  with  his  eye,  to  see  if  it 
has  done  any  execution. 

"  Ejaculations  are  swift  messengers  that  need  not  much 
time  to  deliver  their  errand,  nor  much  time  to  return 
again  to  the  soul.  You  may  point  your  earthly  employ- 
ments, as  men  do  their  writings,  with  stops,  and  such 
pauses  are  no  hindrance." — Hopkins. 

"  Ejaculations  take  not  up  any  room  in  the  soul. 
They  give  liberty  of  callings,  so  that  at  the  same  instant 
one  may  follow  his  proper  vocation.     The  husbandman 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  89 

may  dart  forth  an  ejaculation,  and  not  make  a  halt  the 
more.  The  seaman,  nemrtheless,  steers  his  ship  right 
in  the  darkest  night.  The  field,  wherein  bees  feed,  is  no 
whit  the  barer  for  their  biting ;  when  they  have  taken 
their  full  repast  on  flowers  or  grass,  the  ox  may  feed, 
the  sheep  fatten  on  their  reversions.  The  reason  is, 
because  those  little  chemists  distil  only  the  refined  part 
of  the  flower,  leaving  the  grosser  substance  thereof.  So 
ejaculations  bind  not  men  to  any  bodily  observance,  only 
busy  the  spiritual  half,  which  maketh  them  consistent 
with  the  prosecution  of  any  other  employment." — Thomas 
Fuller. 

ENEMIES— LOVING. 

Dr.  Cotton  Mather. — It  was  his  laudable  ambition 
to  say,  that  "he  did  not  know  of  any  person  in  the  world 
who  had  done  him  an  ill  ofiice,  but  he  had  done  him  a 
good  one  for  it." 

Rev.  John  Wesley. — A  striking  anecdote  is  told  of 
him  in  connection  with  General  Oglethorpe.  These  two 
gentlemen  were  fellow-passengers  from  Europe  to  America. 
In  the  course  of  the  voyage,  Mr.  Wesley  heard  the 
General  making  a  great  noise  in  the  cabin,  and  stepped 
in  to  see  the  cause.  After  stating  the  trouble  he  had 
had  with  a  servant.  General  0.  said,  "But  I'll  be  re- 
venged on  him.  I've  ordered  him  to  be  tied  hand  and 
foot,  and  to  be  carried  to  the  man-of-war  which  sails  with 
us.  The  rascal  should  have  taken  care  how  he  used  me 
so,  for  I  never  forgive."  "  Then,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Wesley, 
looking  calmly  at  him,  "I  hope  you  never  sin."  The 
reproof  was  enough. 

A  Kaffir  Christian. — A  beautiful  example  of  for- 

\ 


90  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

giveness  and  love  to  enemies  was  given  by  Mr  Freeman 
at  the  London  Missionary  Meeting  in  1851 : 

A  Kaffir  young  woman  had  renounced  her  Kaffir  dress 
and  customs,  and  put  on  European  dress,  as  befitting  a 
Christian  convert.  Her  brother,  still  a  heathen,  wanted 
her  to  accompany  him  to  a  heathen  dance.  She  refused. 
He  fetched  a  stick,  and  beat  her,  till  the  stick  broke. 
She  never  winced,  nor  uttered  a  cry,  nor  a  word  of  re- 
proach. He  went  to  procure  another  stick,  but  native 
women  interposed  and  rescued  her.  He  then  covered 
her  with  some  heathen  dress,  when  she  wept  bitterly. 
"Why  didn't  you  cry  before?"  he  demanded.  Some 
time  rolled  by,  and  the  brother  came  again  to  visit  her. 
He  would  not  enter  the  hut;  perhaps,  ashamed  of  his 
former  conduct ;  he  might  have  met  with  reproach.  No. 
He  mistook  her ;  he  had  not  yet  learned  Christianity. 
When  she  saw  him,  she  went  out,  and  met  him  at  the 
entrance,  gave  him  her  hand,  and  with  it  a  sister's  kiss. 
That  subdued  him. 

ENNUI. 

Definition  of — "  a  French  word  for  an  English  ma- 
lady, which  generally  arises  from  the  want  of  a  want,  and 
constitutes  the  complaint  of  those  who  have  nothing  to 
complain  of." — Many  Thoughts  on  Many  Things. 

ENVY. 

"Envy,"  says  Socrates,  "is  the  saw  of  the  soul;  and 
he  who  envies,  admits  his  inferiority." 

Plutarch  compares  envious  persons  to  cupping 
glasses,  which  draw  the  worst  humours  of  the  body  to 
them. 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  91 

**  The  Poets  imagined  that  envy  dwelt  in  a  dark  cave, 
being  pale  and  lean,  looking  asquint,  abounding  with  gall, 
her  teeth  black,  never  rejoicing  but  in  the  misfortune  of 
others,  ever  unquiet  and  careful,  and  continually  tor- 
menting herself." —  Wit's  Com.  Wealth. 

We  may  secure  ourselves  in  a  great  measure  from  a 
liar,  by  not  conversing  with  him;  and  from  a  covetous 
man,  by  not  dealing  with  him ;  but  we  cannot  secure  our- 
selves from  the  envious. 

"  Rising  glory  occasions  the  greatest  envy,  as  kind- 
ling fires  the  greatest  smoke.  Envy  is  the  reverse  of 
charity;  and  as  that  is  the  supreme  source  of  pleasure, 
so  this  is  of  pain.  Envy  has  under  its  banner,  hatred, 
calumny,  treachery,  with  the  meagreness  of  famine,  the 
venom  of  pestilence,  and  the  rage  of  war." — Spencer. 

A  NUMBER  OF  PHYSICIANS  were  once  disputing  as  to 
what  would  be  the  best  means  to  sharpen  the  sight.  Some 
recommended  one  thing,  and  some  another,  till  at  last 
one  said  there  was  nothing  would  do  it  like  envy,  for  it 
magnifies  and  multiplies  all  the  errors  of  man. — Many 
Thoughts  on  Many  Things. 

"One  FINGER,"  says  Cotton,  "envieth  not  another 
that  weareth  a  gold  ring,  as  taking  it  for  an  ornament 
of  the  whole  hand,  yea,  of  the  whole  body." 

"If  men  would  but  hate  themselves  as  they  do  their 
neighbors,  it  would  be  a  good  step  towards  loving  their 
neighbors  as  they  do  themselves." — M''Laurin. 

Fuller's  prayer  against  envy  was  very  beautiful. — 
"Dispossess  me,  0  Lord,  of  this  bad  spirit,  and  turn  my 
envy  into  holy  emulation.  Let  me  labor  to  exceed 
those  in  pains,  who  exceed  me  in  parts ;  let  me  feed  and 
foster,  and  nourish  and  cherish,  graces  in  others ;  honor- 


92  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

ing  their  persons,  praising  their  parts,  and  glorifying  thy 
name,  who  hath  given  such  gifts  to  them." 

The  NEWLY-LIGHTED  CANDLE. — A  Candle  being  fresh 
lighted,  observing  some  persons  in  the  room  shade  their 
eyes,  to  avoid  the  strong  light,  Gotthold  observed,  "I 
hope  these  persons  will  not  be  offended,  when  I  say  that, 
in  so  far,  they  remind  me  of  the  malicious,  who  cannot 
witness  the  success  and  promotion  of  others,  without  sore 
eyes  and  sore  hearts,  which  is  quite  contrary  to  Christian 
charity.  "When  God  kindles  a  light,  we  should  be  will- 
ing to  rejoice  in  it,  and  not  close  or  cover  our  eyes 
against  it,  far  less  endeavor,  with  the  breath  of  envy, 
to  blow  it  out." 

ETERNITY 

— "is  that  which  makes  good  things  infinitely  more 
good,  and  evil  things  incomparably  more  evil.  Eternity 
is  the  very  heaven  of  heaven,  and  the  hell  of  hell." — 
Abraham  Caley. 

"Add  together  ages  of  ages,  multiply  them  by  the 
leaves  on  the  trees,  the  sand  on  the  sea-shore,  and  the 
dust  of  the  earth;  still  you  will  be  no  nearer  the  termi- 
nation of  Jehovah's  existence,  than  when  you  first  began 
your  calculation.  And  let  us  remember  that  the  dura- 
tion of  his  existence  is  the  only  measure  of  our  own. 
As  it  respects  futurity,  we  are  all  as  immortal  as  Jeho- 
vah himself." — Dr.  Pay  son. 

One  pound  of  gold  may  be  drawn  into  a  wire  that 
would  extend  round  the  globe.     So  one  good  deed  may 
be  felt  through  all  time,  and  cast  its  influence  into  eter 
nity.     Though  done  in  the  first  flush  of  youth,  it  may 
gild  the  last  hours  of  a  long  life  and  form  the  brightest 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  9B 

spot  in  it.  Work  while  it  is  day.  The  night  cometh." 
— Christian  Treasury. 

"Whence,  my  brethren,  do  you  derive  your  confi- 
dence that  your  dying  day  is  so  remote  ?  From  your 
youth?  Yes,  you  reply;  I  am  as  yet  only  twenty — 
thirty  years  old.  Ah!  you  completely  deceive  your- 
selves. No,  it  is  not  that  you  have  advanced  twenty  or 
thirty  years,  but  that  death  has  gained  twenty  or  thirty 
years  upon  you.  God  has  given  you  thirty  years  of 
grace  by  suffering  you  to  live,  you  are  his  debtor  for 
these  years;  and  they  have  brought  you  so  much  the 
nearer  to  that  term,  when  death  awaits  you.  Take  heed, 
then;  eternity  already  marks  upon  your  brow  the  fatal 
instant  in  which  it  will  begin  for  you.  Eternity !  Ah ! 
know  you  what  it  is  ?  It  is  a  time-piece,  whose  pendu- 
lum speaks  incessantly,  repeats  two  words  only,  in 
the  silence  of  the  tomb — ever,  never — never,  ever  and 
forever.  During  these  fearful  vibrations,  a  reprobate 
cries  out,  'What  is  the  hour?'  And  a  voice  of  a  fellow- 
wretch  replies — 'Eternity!'  " — Bridaine. 

The  Rev.  David  Sandeman,  the  devoted  missionary 
to  China. — After  his  death  there  was  found  written  in 
his  note  book,  in  large  letters,  "Eternity,  eternity," 
and  afterwards,  "Let  me  act  more  as  if  I  were  now  in 
the  next  world,  looking  back  to  see  how  I  should  have 
acted  for  the  glory  of  Jesus."  As  D.  Brain ard  says, 
"  Oh  to  live  on  the  verge  of  eternity !  would  that  I  could 
continually  dwell  on  its  borders,  in  studying  and  follow- 
ing out  every  avocation!" 

"Stand,"  says  one,  "on  the  margin  of  the  o<;ean  of 
eternity,  and  listen  to  the  murmur  of  its  waters,  till  you 
are  deaf  to  every  other  sound." 


94  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

Is  IT  NOT  STRANGE? — "That  the  experience  of  so 
many  ages  should  not  make  us  judge  more  solidly  of  the 
present  and  the  future,  so  as  to  take  proper  measures  of 
the  one  for  the  other  ?  We  dote  upon  this  world  as  if  it 
were  never  to  have  an  end,  and  we  neglect  the  next,  as 
if  it  were  never  to  have  a  beginning." — Evangelical 
Magazine, 

EXAMPLE 

— "is  better  than  precept." 

— "is  the  softest  and  least  invidious  way  of  command- 
ing."— Pliny. 

"The  words  of  the  wise  are  as  nails"  (Eccl.  xii.  11); 
their  examples  as  hammers. 

A  good  example  is  one  of  the  loudest  bells  to  toll  peo- 
ple to  church. 

"Let  your  good  example  meet  sin  at  every  turn,  and 
put  it  out  of  countenance  in  every  place." — Spratt. 

"  The  greatest  part  of  men  live  by  faith  in  powerful 
men.  A  small  number  of  individuals  lead  the  whole  hu- 
man race." — Vinet. 

Some  time  ago,  a  boy  went  home  from  a  ragged 
school  (about  the  time  they  were  first  established)  with 
his  dirty  face  washed  clean.  His  mother  at  first  hardly 
recognized  her  own  son,  so  magic  was  the  change.  How- 
ever, it  pleased  her,  and  very  soon  she  washed  her  face. 
Her  husband,  returning  from  his  daily  work,  was  no  less 
struck  with  the  marvellous  change  in  her  appearance,  and 
he  took  it  up  and  washed  away  his  hardened  coat  of 
grime  and  dust :  so  it  spread  through  the  whole  family, 
and  the  neighbors  saw  it  and  admired  !  and  the  dark  and 
dismal  alley,  so  long  the  abode  of  dirt  and  filth,  became 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  95 

an  amusing  but  instructive  instance  of  what  often  follows 
from  copying  what  we  see  in  others. 

The  martyr's  sign. — We  are  told  that  a  young  man 
named  Jones  (the  son  of  a  Welsh  knight)  came  to  Bishop 
Farrar  a  few  days  before  he  suffered,  and  lamented  the 
painfulness  of  the  death  prepared  for  him.  The  Bishop 
in  faith,  relying  upon  the  extraordinary  support  vouch- 
safed to  those  who  were  thus  publicly  called  to  seal  their 
testimony  with  their  blood,  told  the  youth  to  mark  him 
while  suffering  that  painful  death,  and  if  he  saw  him 
once  stir,  then  to  give  no  credit  to  the  doctrines  he  had 
preached.  Jones  adds,  "  And  as  he  said,  so  he  right 
well  performed  the  same ;  for  so  patiently  he  stood,  that 
he  never  moved,  but  even  as  he  stood,  holding  up  his 
stumps,  so  still  he  continued,  till  one  Richard  Gravell 
with  a  staff  dashed  him  upon  the  head  and  struck  him 
down." 

Thomas  Fuller's  prayer. — "Lord,  I  trust  thou 
hast  pardoned  the  bad  examples  I  have  set  before  others ; 
be  pleased  also  to  pardon  me  the  sins  which  they  have 
committed  by  my  bad  examples.  If  thou  hast  forgiven 
my  own  sins,  t^e  children  of  my  corrupt  nature,  forgive 
my  grandchildren  also.  Let  not  the  transcripts  remain, 
since  thou  hast  blotted  out  the  original.  And  for  the 
time  to  come,  bless  me  with  barrenness  in  bad  actions, 
and  my  bad  actions  with  barrenness  in  procreation,  that 
they  may  never  beget  others  according  to  their  like- 
ness." 

George  Herbert,  in  his  Country  Parson,  says,  "  The 
country  parson's  library  is  a  holy  life ;  for  (besides  the 
blessing  that  that  brings  upon  it,  there  being  a  promise 
that  if  the  kingdom  of  God  be  first  sought,  all  other 


96  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

things  shall  be  added)  even  itself  is  a  sermon  ;  ...  so 
that  the  parson  having  studied  and  mastered  all  his 
lusts  and  affections  within,  and  the  whole  armj  of  temp- 
tation without,  hath  ever  as  many  sermons  ready  penned 
as  he  hath  victories." 

EXPERIENCE 

— keeps  a  dear  school,  but  fools  learn  in  no  other. 

There  are  three  things  which  make  good  ballast  for  a 
Christian, — knowledge,  grace,  and  experience.  Know- 
ledge, sanctified  knowledge,  to  ballast  the  head  ;  grace,  to 
ballast  the  heart ;  and  experience.  Treasure  up  your 
experiences, — what  manifestations  from  God :  what  temp- 
tations :  what  victory  over  them  :  what  bitterness  in  sin : 
what  sweetness  in  Christ.  The  remembrance  of  these 
maybe  of  use." — Philip  Henry. 

The  chief  use  many  persons  seem  to  make  of  their 
past  history,  is  to  act  like  the  stern-light  of  a  vessel,  to 
cast  a  light  on  the  track  they  have  passed,  instead  of 
making  it  the  light  at  the  prow,  to  guide  them  in  their 
future  course. 

Benefit  of  affliction. — A  minister  ^f  a  former  age, 
on  recovering  from  a  dangerous  illness,  was  one  day 
visited  by  one  of  his  friends,  who  said  to  him,  "  Sir, 
though  God  seems  to  be  bringing  you  up  from  the  gates 
of  death,  yet  it  will  be  a  long  time  before  you  regain 
strength  and  vigor  enough,  to  preach  as  usual."  The 
good  man  answered,  "  You  are  mistaken,  my  friend ;  for 
this  six  weeks'  illness  has  taught  me  more  divinity  than 
all  my  past  studies,  and  all  my  ten  years'  ministry  put 
together.     Doubtless  Divine  Providence  had  weaned  his 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  97 

affections  from  the  world,  and  brought  every  passion  into 
subjection  to  the  will  of  God." 

The  banyan  tree. — "  Faith,  in  its  reproductive 
power  and  progress  of  growth,  may  be  compared  to  tie 
great  Oriental  banyan  tree.  It  springs  up  in  God, 
rooted  in  God's  word,  and  soon  there  are  the  great 
waving  branches  of  experience.  Then  from  these  very 
branches  the  runners  go  down  again  into  God's  word, 
and  thence  spring  up  again  new  products  of  faith,  and 
new  trees  of  experience ;  till  one  and  the  same  tree,  be- 
comes in  itself  a  grove,  with  pillared  shades  and  echoing 
walks  between.  So  experience  first  grows  out  of  faith, 
and  then  greater  faith  grows  out  of  experience,  the  word 
of  God  being  all  the  while  the  region  of  its  roots ;  and 
again  a  still  vaster,  richer  experience  grows  out  of  that 
faith,  till  every  branch  becomes  not  only  a  product,  but 
a  parent  stock  set  in  the  same  word,  and  all  expanding 
mto  a  various  magnificent  and  enlarging  forest." — 
Cheevers  Windings  of  the  River  of  the  Water  of  Life, 

FAITH.  ^^SB:^ 

What  is  faith  ?  ({IT]^  f^^^n 

Faith,  as  a  wild  Irish  boy  defined  it,  \i\^\-grasp{ng 
Christ  with  the  heart.''  ;  ,    -- 

("^  Faith,  says  Luther,  "  is  a  certain  dark  confide^e,' 
i.  e.  trusting  God  in  the  dark. 

C"  Faith,"  says  Thomas  Adam,  "maybe  called  a  divine 
touch  on  our  spirits,  and  the  effect  produced  by  that  touch 
proves  the  reality  of  it." 

"Mark  you,"  said  a  pious  sailor,  when  explaining  it 
to  a  shipmate  at  the  wheel,  "  mark  you,  it  isn't  breaking 
off  swearing  and  the  like ;  it  isn't  reading  the  Bible,  nor 


98  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATIlErtlNGS. 

praying,  nor  being  good ;  it  is  none  of  these ;  for  even 
if  they  would  answer  for  the  time  to  come,  there's  still 
the  old  score,  and  how  are  you  to  get  over  that  ?  It  isn't 
anything  that  you  have  done  or  can  do ;  it's  taking  hold 
of  what  Jesus  did /or  you ;  it's  forsaking  your  sins,  and 
expecting  the  pardon  and  salvation  of  your  soul,  because 
Christ  let  the  waves  and  billows  go  over  him  on  Calvary. 

(This  is  believing,  and  believing  is  nothing  else." 
Faith  is  the  hand  of  the  soul,  z.  e.  the  instrument 
of  salvation.     "  The  hand  is  used  to  nourish  the  body, 
not  of  its  own  nature  and  virtue,  but  because  it  is  an  in- 
strument to  reach  meat  to  it.     We  are  not  justified  for 
the  act  and  quality  of  believing ;  it  is  the  merit  of  Jesus 
that  justifies  us,  and  that  faith  apprehends." 
^•"'''^The    hand    of  FAITH — an  EMPTY    HAND.      "Every 
/      grace   brings  somewhat  considerable   to  Christ.     Love 
\       brings   a  flaming  heart ;  repentance  brings  a  bleeding 
\      heart ;     obedience    brings     a    working   hand ;  patience 
brings   a  broad  back  for  the  smiter ;  but  faith  brings 
only  an  empty  heart  and  hand  to  be  filled  with  borrowed 
and  gifted  blessings ;  and  yet  faith  is  the  highest  and 

> loftiest  grace." — Traill. 
The  ROOT  of  all  grace. — "  The  root  of  a  tree  is  a 
ragged  and  jagged  thing  in  shape,  no  proportion,  no 
comeliness  in  it,  and  therefore  keeps  itself  in  the  earth, 
as  unwilling  to  be  seen  ;  yet  all  the  beauty  that  is  in  the 
tree,  the  straightness  of  the  bulk  and  body,  the  spread- 
ing fairness  of  the  branches,  the  glory  of  the  leaves  and 
flowers,  the  commodity  of  the  fruits,  proceed  from  the 
root :  by  that  the  whole  subsisteth.  So  faith  seems  to  be 
but  a  sorry  grace,  a  virtue  of  no  regard :  devotion  is 
acceptable,  for  it  honors  God ;   charity  is  noble,  for  It 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  99 

txoes  good  to  men  ;  holiness  is  the  image  of  heaven,  there- 
fore beauteous ;  thankfulness  is  the  tune  of  angels, 
therefore  melodious.  But  what  is  faith  good  for  ?  Yes, 
it  is  good  for  every  good  purpose,  the  foundation  and 
root  of  all  graces.  All  the  prayers  made  by  devotion, 
all  the  good  works  done  by  charity,  all  the  actual  expres- 
sions of  holiness,  all  the  praises  sounded  forth  by  thank- 
fulness, come  from  the  root  of  faith  ;  that  is  the  life  of 
them  all.  Faith  doth  animate  works,  as  the  body  lives 
by  the  soul.  Doubtless  faith  hath  saved  some  without 
works,  but  it  was  never  read  that  works  saved  any  with- 
out faith." — Spencer. 

"  What  marrow  is  to  the  support  and  strength  of 
the  bones,  and  the  bones  to  the  support  and  strength  of 
the  body,  t\\?ii  faith  in  God  is  to  the  support,  strength, 
and  energy  and  salvation  of  the  soul." — Br.  A.  Clarke. 

No  MERIT  IN  FAITH. — "  A  believer  has  not  so  much 
to  boast  of  as  a  common  beggar.  He  that  gives  to  a 
beggar,  gives  him  a  bare  alms  only ;  whereas  God  gives 
his  people  both  Christ's  righteousness  to  justify  them,  and 
also  the  hand  of  faith  by  which  to  receive  it." — Parr. 

Not  THE  ACT  BUT  THE  OBJECT  OF  FAITH     SAVES. ''  It 

is  unfortunately  a  common  error  to  let  our  minds  look 
much  inward,  and  to  the  act  of  believing,  instead  of 
outward  to  the  object  of  belief;  making  ^How  shall  I 
believe?'  instead  of  ^  What  shall  I  believe?'  the  great 
inquiry." — Meinoir  of  Mrs.  Little. 

Which  is  as  if  one  should  look  at  the  system  of  iron  pipes  lying 
under  the  city  streets,  and  conducting  the  water  into  every  house,  and 
forgetting  the  fountain  which  supplies  them  should  say,  *'  Ah !  it  is 
these  pipes  which  bring  their  crystal  stream  tons;  we  owe  all  to 
these  pipes  !"  But,  what  if  the  fountain  failed,  or  the  supply  from 
the  fountain  was  cut  off? 


100  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

"  We  become  Christians,  and  remain  in  a  perfect 
state  of  salvation,  not  by  what  faith  works,  but  by  what 
it  receives ;  for  though  a  feeble  faith  will  perform  feeble 
works,  it  can  receive  a  whole  and  perfect  Christ,  which 
is  the  one  thing  needful." — Bogatzshy. 

Like  the  magnetic  needle,  often  trembling,  yet  ever  true, — swayed, 
amidst  the  tempest's  wildest  tossings,  by  the  invisible  mysterious 
spell,  which  never  fails  to  direct  it  right.  It  is  computed  there  are 
about  50,000  voyagers  always  upon  the  ocean.  Who  can  describe  the 
obligation  these  are  all  under  to  this  constant,  unerring  guide  ? 

The  compass  weed. — Amid  the  wild  luxuriance  of 
the  American  prairies,  the  traveler  unused  to  it,  if  he 
step  out  of  the  track  but  a  few  yards,  will  find  it  almost 
impossible  to  discover  the  way  back ;  but  a  beautiful 
provision  of  nature  comes  to  his  help.  There  grows  a 
little  flower  that  bends  to  the  North,  and  answers  the 
same  purpose  on  the  vast  prairie  as  the  needle  does  on 
the  trackless  sea.  To  this  the  traveler  may  look,  and 
by  it  he  may  well  and  safely  guide  his  course. 

Faith  the  best  remover  of  difficulties. — Infinite 
toil  would  not  enable  you  to  sweep  away  a  mist,  but  by 
ascending  a  little  you  may  often  look  over  it  altogether. 
So  it  is  with  our  moral  improvement — we  wrestle  fiercely 
with  a  vicious  habit,  which  would  have  no  hold  upon 
us  if  we  ascend  into  a  higher  atmosphere.'' — Christiaii 
Treasury. 

Trusting  a  father's  word. — "  A  father  was  once 
amusing  his  children  with  an  electric  machine,  and  after 
one  or  two  had  received  the  shock,  they  drew  back  from 
the  apparatus  with  evident  dread.  The  father  presently 
held  out  the  jar  uncharged,  and  consequently  harmless, 
and  said,  '  If  you  touch  it  now  you  will  feel  nothing. 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  101 

Who  will  try  ?'  The  children  drew  back  with  their  hands 
behind  them.  '  Don't  you  believe  me  ?'  said  he.  '  Yes, 
sir,'  and  the  hands  were  held  out  to  prove  their  faith, 
but  were  quickly  withdrawn  before  they  reached  the  dan- 
gerous knob.  One  alone,  a  timid  little  girl,  had  that 
kind  of  confidence  which  really  led  her  to  trust  her 
father.  The  rest  believed,  but  had  not  heartfelt  faith. 
Even  the  little  believer's  faith  was  not  unwavering.  You 
could  see  on  her  face  when  the  little  knuckle  approached 
the  harmless  brass  ball,  a  slight  expression  of  anxiety, 
shoAving  she  had  some  doubts  and  fears  after  all ;  and 
there  was  an  evident  feeling  of  relief  when,  from  actual 
trial,  she  experienced  the  case  to  be  as  her  father  repre- 
sented it  to  be." — Illustrations  of  Truth. 

"  The  OBEDIENCE  OF  FAITH." 

"  If  there  be  one  fact  or  promise  in  the  Bible  which  has  produced 
no  practical  effect  upon  your  temper  or  conduct,  be  assured  that  you 
do  not  rightly  believe  it." — Dr.  Payaon. 

The  increase  of  faith. 

"  Do  you  ask  me,  beloved,  what  it  is  that  chiefly  strengthens  faith  ? 
It  is  having  much  to  do  with  Jesus." — J.  H.  Evans, 

Preaching  in  faith. 

"  We  have  been  lately  taught  what  the  prayer  of  faith  can  do. 
Let  us  have  preaching  in  faith,  and  who  can  tell  the  issue  ?  We  press 
this  thought  upon  our  brethren.  The  atmosphere,  as  it  were,  of  the 
Divine  presence  that  surrounds  us,  is  charged  with  healing  virtue  for 
the  souls  of  men,  and  faith  is  the  conductor  to  bring  it  down." — Bev, 
J.  Kelly. 

FALL  OF  MAN.    . 

"  We  believe  in  the  wreck  of  humanity  (the  Fall) — 
we  believe  that  the  unfortunate  ship  has  perished,  but 
that  the  remains  of  the  catastrophe  float  upon  the 
waves ;  a  few  of  these  are  fit  for  use,  but  none  of  them 

9  * 


102  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

can  bear  to  the  shore  the  least  of  the  passengers." — 
Vinet. 

By  the  Fall  man's  nature  became  like  a  beautiful  ala- 
baster vase  filled  with  some  sweet  perfume ;  if  it  fall  to 
the  ground,  the  thousand  shivered  fragments  would  be 
useless,  and  only  an  evidence  of  departed  beautj ;  still 
they  would  even  then  show  what  the  beauty  once  had  been. 

Adam  broke  the  first  link  of  the  chain,  and  thereafter 
all  mankind  fell  from  God. 

"  God  took  a  just  and  short  way  of  trying  the  obedi- 
ence of  all  the  human  race  by  Adam,  their  root  and 
representative ;  for  if  he,  who  was  so  perfect,  and  had 
only  the  fruit  of  one  tree  denied  him,  would  not  with- 
stand the  temptation,  surely  none  of  his  posterity  could, 
and  therefore  Adam's  first  sin  is  justly  imputed  t  n  all." 
—  Owen. 

"  Surely,"  says  Augustine,  "  God  is  so  just  tSiat  he 
can  sanction  no  evil,  and  so  good  that  he  can  permit  no 
evil,  except  it  be  with  the  design  to  bring  a  greater  good 
out  of  it." 

FALLS  OF  BELIEVERS. 

A  true  believer  maj  fall  into  sin,  but  he  will  not  lie 
in  sin. 

"  Was  not  David  in  his  fall  like  a  tree  in  winter  ? 
The  moisture  of  grace  was  within,  yet  nothing  did  out- 
wardly appear." — AntJwny  Burgess. 

"  Remember  also  that  of  many  of  the  best  Christians, 
the  worst  only  is  known  and  seen." — Given. 

The  best  Christians  have  need  to  be  warned  against 
the  worst  sins. 

No  MAN  would  willingly  hazard  himself  upon  a  fall 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  103 

that  may  break  his  leg,  or  some  other  bone,  though  he 
could  be  most  sure  that  he  should  not  break  his  neck,  or 
that  his  life  were  not  at  all  in  danger,  and  that  he  should 
be  perfectly  cured ;  yet,  the  pain  and  trouble  of  such  a 
hurt  would  terrify  him  and  make  weary  and  fearful  when 
he  walks  in  danger.  The  'broken  bones'  that  David 
complains  of  after  his  fall  may  work  fear  and  wariness 
in  those  that  hear  him,  though  they  were  ascertained  of 
a  like  recovery." — Leighton. 

"  Stumbling  proves  our  tendency  to  fall,  but  it  proves 
also  our  capacity  to  stand  erect.  Had  we  been  lying 
supine,  we  could  never  have  stumbled.  This  very  thought 
should  give  us  courage.  '  Rejoice  not  against  me,  0 
mine  enemy ;  when  I  fall  I  shall  arise ;  when  I  sit  in 
darkness,  the  Lord  shall  be  a  light  unto  me.'  But  this 
power  to  rise  and  to  stand  all  comes  from  God  (Ps.  cxix. 
117) ;  and  the  knowledge  of  this  should  be  our  strength, 
as  well  as  our  caution." 

Christian  losing  his  roll  in  the  arbor,  see  what  it  cost 
him ! 

No  MAN  falls  suddenly. 

"  A  man  may  so  look  in  the  air,  as  to  forget  to  look 
at  the  stones  by  which  he  stumbles." — J.  H.  ^vans. 

FOLLOWING  CHRIST. 

"A  MAN  seldom  improves,  who  has  no  better  model 
than  himself." 

"  The  GREAT  PART  of  men  live  by  faith  in  powerful 
men;  how  few  are  they  who  follow  Christ." 

"  To  FOLLOW  Christ  is  like  walking  on  a  path  which 
the  Saviour's  precious  footsteps  have  trodden  into  smooth- 
ness, and  hghted  with  the  lamp  of  his  Spirit." — C.  Fry, 


104  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

"Every  step  of  Christ's  life  is  a  letter." — Leigliton. 

"Wherever,"  said  Mr.  Standfast  as  lie  stood  in  the 
Biver  of  Death — "  Wherever  I  have  seen  the  print  of 
His  shoe  on  the  earth,  there  I  have  coveted  to  set  my 
foot  too." — See  Pilgrim  s  Progress. 

"Follow  me."  "That  word  was  enough,  ^Follow 
me ;'  spoken  by  the  same  tongue  that  said  to  the  corpse 
at  Nain,  'Young  man,  I  say  to  thee,  Arise.'  He  that 
said  at  first,  'Let  there  be  light,'  says  now,  'Follow  me.* 
That  power  sweetly  inclines,  which  could  forcibly  com- 
mand ;  the  force  is  not  more  unresistible  than  the  in- 
clination. When  the  sun  shines  upon  the  icicles,  can 
they  choose  hut  melt  and  fall  ?  When  it  looks  into  a 
dungeon,  can  the  place  choose  but  to  be  enlightened? 
Do  Ave  see  the  jet  drawing  up  straws  to  it,  the  loadstone 
iron,  and  do  we  marvel  if  the  Omnipotent  Saviour,  by 
the  influence  of  his  grace,  attract  the  heart  of  a  publican  ? 
'He  arose  and  followed  him.'  We  are  all  natarally 
averse  from  thee,  0  God;  do  thou  but  bid  us  follow 
thee,  draw  us  by  thy  powerful  word,  and  we  shall  run 
after  thee.  Alas  1  thou  speakest  and  we  sit  still ;  thou 
speakest  by  thine  outward  word  to  our  ear,  and  we  stir 
not.  Speak  thou  by  the  effectual  word  of  thy  Spirit  to 
our  heart.  The  world  cannot  hold  us  down,  Satan  can- 
not stop  our  way,  we  shall  arise  and  follow  thee." — 
Bishop  Hall, 

Dr.  Judson. — "  One  day,  thinking  to  amuse  him,  his 
wife  read  to  Dr.  Judson  some  newspaper  notices,  in  which 
he  was  compared  to  one  or  other  of  the  apostles.  He 
was  exceedingly  distressed,  and  then  he  added,  '  Nor  do 
I  want  to  be  like  them.  I  do  not  want  to  be  like  Paul, 
nor  Apollos,  nor  Cephas,  nor  any  mere  man.     I  want  to 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  105 

be  like  Christ.  We  have  only  one  perfectly  safe  Exem- 
plar— only  One,  who  tempted  like  as  we  are  in  every 
point  was  yet  without  sin.  I  want  to  follow  him  only ; 
copy  his  teachings ;  drink  in  his  Spirit ;  place  my  feet  in 
his  footprints,  and  measure  their  short-comings  by  these 
and  these  alone.     Oh  !  to  be  more  like  Christ !'  " 

FOLLY. 

He  must  be  a  sad  fool  who  can  learn  nothing  from  his 
own  folly. 

"Fools  men  may  live,  but  fools  they  cannot  die." — 
Young. 

"Fools  mistake  reverse  of  wrong  for  right." 

If  our  hearts  w^ere  not  so  entirely  perverted,  no  man 
in  his  senses  would  die  in  his  sins." 

"It  is  but  ostrich-folly  to  blind  ourselves  to  truths 
which  must  search  and  try  us  at  the  last." — Rev.  J, 
Crowder. 

"  The  consummation  of  madness  is  to  do  what,  at  the 
time  of  doing  it,  we  intend  to  be  afterwards  sorry  for ; 
the  deliberate  and  intentional  making  work  for  repent- 
ance."— Dr.  Nevins. 

"  What  !  an  unconverted  man,  and  laugh  !  shouldest 
thou  see  one  singing  merry  songs,  that  is  riding  up 
Holborn  to  Tyburn  to  be  hanged  for  felony,  wouldest 
thou  not  count  him  beside  himself,  if  not  worse?  and 
yet,  thus  it  is  with  him  that  is  for  mirth,  while  he  stand- 
eth  condemned  by  the  book  of  God  for  his  trespasses." 
— Bunyan. 

^neas  Sylvius  gives  three  ways  of  proving  a  fool ; 
— He  is  a  fool  who  seeks  what  he  cannot  find ;  he  is  a 
fool  who  seeks  that  which,  if  found,  would  do  him  more 


106  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

harm  than  good ;  and  he  is  a  fool,  who  having  several 
ways  to  bring  him  to  his  journey's  end,  selects  the  worst 
one." 

"A  MAN  may  know  all  about  the  rocks,  and  his  heart 
remain  as  hard  as  they  are ;  a  man  may  know  all  about 
the  winds,  and  be  the  sport  of  passions  as  fierce  as  they ; 
a  man  may  know  all  about  the  stars,  and  his  fate  be  the 
meteor's,  that  after  a  brief  and  brilliant  career  is  quenched 
in  eternal  night ;  a  man  may  know  all  about  the  sea,  and 
his  soul  resemble  its  troubled  waters  which  cannot  rest ; 
a  man  may  know  how  to  rule  the  spirits  of  the  elements, 
yet  not  know  how  to  rule  his  o"^vn ;  a  man  may  know 
how  to  turn  aside  the  flashing  thunderbolt,  but  not  the 
wrath  of  God  from  his  own  guilty  head.  He  may  know 
all  that  La  Place  knew — all  that  Shakspeare  knew — all 
that  Watt  knew — all  that  the  greatest  geniuses  have 
known,  he  may  know  all  mysteries  and  all  knowledge, 
but  if  he  does  not  know  the  Bible,  what  shall  it  avail  ? 
I  take  my  stand  by  the  bed  of  a  dying  philosopher  as 
well  as  of  a  dying  miser,  and  ask  of  the  world's  w^isdom 
as  of  the  world's  wealth,  ^  What  shall  it  profit  a  man  if 
he  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own  soul  ?'  " 

The  madman  in  the  lunatic  asylum. — It  once 
happened  that  there  was  a  fire  in  a  lunatic  asylum. 
When  the  deliverers  were  going  from  room  to  room, 
rescuing  the  poor  creatures  from  death,  they  found  one 
poor  maniac  sitting,  rubbing  his  hands  with  delight,  look- 
ing at  the  blazing  rafters  above  his  head,  and  enjoying 
the  scene  with  intense  and  pitiable  pleasure.  Poor  man  ! 
he  did  not  know  his  danger.  A  few  moments  more,  the 
rafters  would  have   fallen   in,   and  buried  him  in  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATIIEEINGS.  107 

general  ruin.     What  a  mournful  representation  of  an 
infatuated  sinner ! 

Once  too  often. — A  man,  who  had  a  valuable  dia- 
mond, was  so  foolish  as  to  play  with  it,  by  throwing  it 
over  the  side  of  the  ship.  He  kept  throwing  it  up,  while 
leaning  over  the  bulwarks  of  the  vessel,  and  catching  it 
again.  A  friend  expostulated  with  him,  but  he  replied, 
"Oh  never  fear,  I've  done  it  so  often."  At  last  he 
missed  his  aim  and  the  treasure  was  gone, — and  lost 
beyond  recall ! 

FORBEARANCE. 

Forbearance  is  a  domestic  jewel,  not  to  be  worn 
for  state  or  show,  but  for  daily  and  unostentatious  orna- 
ment. 

"  As  the  best  writers  are  the  most  candid  judges  of 
the  writings  of  others,  so  the  best  livers. are  the  most 
charitable,  in  the  judgment  they  form  of  their  neighbors." 
— Seed. 

"The  Jews  would  not  willingly  tread  upon  the  small- 
est piece  of  paper  in  their  way,  but  took  it  up ;  for 
possibly,  said  they,  the  name  of  God  may  be  on  it. 
Though  there  was  a  little  superstition  in  that,  yet  much 
good  may  be  learned  from  it,  if  we  apply  it  to  men. 
Trample  not  on  any ;  there  may  be  some  work  of  grace 
there  that  thou  knowest  not  of.  The  name  of  God  may 
be  written  upon  that  soul  thou  treadest  on ;  it  may  be 
a  soul  that  Christ  thought  so  much  of,  as  to  give  his 
precious  blood  for  it ;  therefore  despise  it  not." — 
Leighton. 

The  Rev.  Legh  Richmond  was  one  day  conversing 
with  a  brother  clergyman  on  the  case  of  a  poor  man  who 


108  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

had  acted  inconsistently  with  his  religious  profession* 
After  some  angrj  and  severe  remarks  on  the  conduct 
of  such  persons,  the  gentleman  with  whom  he  was  dis- 
cussing the  case,  concluded  by  saying,  "I  have  no 
notion  of  such  pretences,  I  will  have  nothing  to  do  with 
him."  "Nay,  brother,  let. us  be  humble  and  moderate. 
Remember  who  has  said,  'making  a  difference;'  with 
opportunity  on  the  one  hand,  and  Satan  at  the  other, 
and  the  grace  of  God  at  neither,  where  should  you  and 
I  be?" 

FORMALITY. 

"  Some  may  live  upon  forms,  but  there  is  no  dying 
upon  forms." 

Formalists,  like  Pharaoh's  lean  kine,  are  full  fed,  yet 
lean. 

"To  pursue  the  ways  of  God  with  a  guilty  conscience 
is  Satan's  great  receipt  for  perpetual  failure." — J.  H. 
Evans. 

Nature  presents  us  with  many  affecting  illustrations 
of  the  semblance  of  life,  where  death  is  reigning; — the 
flowers  in  your  garden  may  for  a  time  retain  the  form, 
when  life  is  extinct ;  the  ancient  oak  in  the  forest  may 
stand  for  years  erect,  while  life  has  long  since  passed 
away ;  the  tiny  shell  on  yonder  beach  may  attract  your 
notice,  when  its  once  little  tenant  can  nowhere  be  found : 
so  do  we  often  think  we  find  the  form  of  godliness,  when 
the  power — the  reality — the  life  are  wanting. 

Formalists  are  "like  the  troops  in  Ezekiel's  army, 
before  they  were  quickened;  covered  well  with  plump 
flesh  and  fair  skin,  yet  no  breath  was  in  them ;  arranged 
well,  in  rank  and  file,  bone  with  bone,  and  at  a  distance, 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATIIERIX(JS.  109 

a  famous  army ;  but  on  the  near  approach,  all  dead  men 
— no  life  to  be  found  in  them  because  the  Spirit  had  not 
breathed  upon  them." — Berridge. 

FREENESS  OF  SALVATION  THROUGH 
CHRIST. 

The  way  of  salvation  is  the  King's  highway,  and  a 
highway  is  always  free. 

"It  is  indeed  a  strait  gate,  but  it  is  a  gate,  and  it  is 
open,  not  shut  up  and  locked." — Henry. 

"Whosoever  and  whatsoever  are  two  precious 
words  often  in  the  mouth  of  Christ.  'Whosoever  will' 
may  come;  'Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my  name  that 
will  I  do.'  'Whosoever'  is  on  the  outside  of  the  gate, 
and  lets  in  all  who  choose.  'Whatsoever'  is  on  the  in- 
side, and  gives  those  who  enter  the  free  range  of  all  the 
region  and  treasury  of  grace.  'Whosoever'  makes  salva- 
tion free,  'Whatsoever'  makes  it  full." — Professor  Hoge, 

The  father  waited  many  a  longing  day  for  the  prodi- 
gal son's  return;  but  the  prodigal  had  not  to  wait  one 
single  moment  for  the  father's  welcome ! 

Would  the  child,  that  had  received  from  its  father  a 
cup  with  its  own  name  on  the  outside,  "the  gift  of  affec- 
tion," question  its  right  to  run  down  and  fill  it  at  the 
river  running  by  the  cottage  door?  Surely  the  waters 
of  life  are  as  free !  nay,  freer  far ! 

The  good  Physician. — We  think  it  an  act  of  kind- 
ness in  physicians,  to  receive  poor  patients  free  at  certain 
hours ;  but  we  may  intrude  upon  their  sympathy  too  far, 
and  be  repulsed.  Did  the  good  Physician  ever  send  a 
sick  soul  away?  or  ever  fail  to  cure  any  who  came  to 
him  for  healing? 

10 


110  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

Too  EASY.—"  Christ  Jesus  has  freely  made  himself  our 
great  deliverer,  and  shall  we  complain  that  his  work  is 
too  gratuitous,  and  that  his  deliverance  is  too  complete? 
What  should  we  feel,  to  hear  the  soldiers  of  Prussia  say, 
in  reference  to  Waterloo,  'It  was  too  easy  a  victory  I' 
Would  we  not  indignantly  reply,  '  So  indeed  it  was  to 
you ;  our  General  bore  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day ; 
he  gained  a  hard-fought  victory,  and  gave  you  a  retreat- 
ing and  conquered  enemy  to  pursue?'  This  reply  fur- 
nishes us  with  an  illustration  of  the  Christian's  position : 
Jesus,  the  Captain  of  our  salvation,  has  conquered  sin 
and  death  and  Satan ;  he  triumphed  over  them  in  his 
cross,  and  calls  us  to  pursue  the  conquered  foe.  The 
duty  of  the  Christian  is  to  follow  in  the  wake  of  victory." 
— Dr.  Stevenson  8  Preface  to  ''''Perfect  Peace.'' 

FREE  WILL. 

"In  its  best  estate,  free  will  was  but  a  weathercock, 
which  turned  at  the  breath  of  a  serpent's  tongue.  It 
made  a  bankrupt  of  our  father  Adam !  it  pulled  down  the 
house  and  sold  the  land,  and  sent  all  the  children  to  beg 
their  bread." — Rutherford. 

"All  THINK  they  mean  well,  and  by  an  egregious 
piece  of  self-flattery,  they  take  it  for  granted  that  our 
defect  for  good  lies  not  in  the  will,  but  in  the  ability. 
Just  the  reverse;  if  the  will  be  good,  we  are  good." — 
Adams  Private  Thoughts. 

"As  NC  MAN  will  complain  that  his  temples  are  re- 
strained and  his  head  is  prisoner,  when  it  is  encircled  by 
a  crown;  so,  when  the  Son  of  God  hath  made  us  free, 
and  hath  only  put  us  under  the  dominion  of  the  Spirit, 
we  are  as  free  as  princes,  within  the  circle  of  their  dia- 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHEKINQS.  Ill 

dem,  and  our  chains  are  bracelets.  The  more  we  are 
subject,  the  more  we  shall  reign  as  kings.  The  faster 
we  run,  the  easier  is  our  burden;  and  Christ's  yoke  is 
like  birds'  feathers,  which  do  not  load,  but  help  their 
motion. ' ' — Jeremy  Taylor. 

"The  will  may  be  free  in  the  abstract,  and  bound  in 
actual  experience;  that  is  to  say,  the  force  of  habit  may 
be  such  as  to  overcome  the  power  of  principle.  The 
falcon  tossed  from  the  hand  of  the  falconer,  is  at  once 
free,  and  no  powder  on  earth  can  recover  him  to  his  mas- 
ter but  his  own  free  will.  Yet  mark  the  result.  This 
free  agent,  with  his  quarry  quivering  in  his  talons,  aban- 
dons both  his  food  and  freedom  at  the  sound  of  the  fal- 
coner's whistle,  and  the  sight  of  a  bit  of  carrion,  which 
is  attached  to  his  lure — such  is  human  free  will." — Ca^t, 
Crordon. 

"Many  men  are  swamped  in  the  doctrines  of  elec- 
tion and  predestination,  but  this  is  supreme  impertinence. 
They  are  truths  w^hich  belong  to  God,  and  if  you  are 
troubled  by  them,  it  is  because  you  are  meddling  with 
what  does  not  belong  to  you.  You  only  need  to  under- 
stand, that  all  God's  agencies  are  to  assist  you  in  gaining 
your  salvation,  if  you  will  but  use  them  rightly.  To 
doubt  this  is  as  if  men  in  a  boat,  pulling  against  the  tide, 
and,  with  all  their  eiforts,  going  backwards  every  hour, 
should  by  and  by  find  the  current  turning,  and  see  the 
wind  springing  up  with  it  and  filling  the  sails,  and  hear 
the  man  at  the  helm  exclaim,  'Row  away!  wind  and  tide 
Are  in  your  favor,'  and  they  should  all  say,  'What  shall 
we  do  with  the  oars  ?  Do  not  the  wind  and  the  tide  take 
away  our  free  agency?'  " — Beecher, 


112  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

FRUITFULNESS. 

"Be  not  to  me  as  a  cloud  without  rain,  lest  I  be  to 
Thee  like  a  tree  without  fruit." — Spurstowe. 

The  holiness  of  the  people  is  the  crown  of  the  min- 
ister. 

The  olive  presents  a  beautiful  emblem  of  Christian 
fruitfulness.  "Generous  old  tree,"  says  the  Rev.  T.  L. 
Cuyler,  "munificent  to  the  lofty  and  the  lowly — yielding 
thy  grateful  fruit  to  prince  and  peasant.  For  200  years 
thou  shookest  down  thy  ripe  mercies.  One  generation 
Cometh  and  another  goeth ;  but  still  the  olive  berries  fall. 
Thou  bearest  fruit  with  all  thy  might;  never  stinting 
thyself,  and  never  robbing  thy  owner  of  his  score  of 
brimming  jars.  Even  when  thou  standest  on  the  most 
barren,  desolate  stone-bed,  thou  canst  bring  'oil  out  of 
the  flinty  rock,'  and  pour  down  fatness  on  the  very  spot 
that  is  mocked  with  dreariness  and  desolation.  Here  is 
an  emblem  of  Christian  fruitfulness  worthy  of  study  in 
these  cold,  revival-less,  unproductive  days." 

The  OLEASTER. — But  there  is  a  counterfeit  olive-tree 
in  Palestine.  It  is  called  the  wild  olive,  or  the  oleaster. 
It  is  in  all  points  like  the  genuine  tree,  excejM  that  it 
yields  no  fruit.  Alas !  how  many  wild  olives  are  there 
in  the  church !  When  I  see  a  man  taking  up  large  space 
in  Christ's  spiritual  orchard,  and  absorbing  a  vast  deal 
of  sunlight  and  soil,  and  yielding  no  real  fruit,  T  say — 
Mi !  there  is  an  oleaster ! 

Much  blossom  and  little  fruit. — "  Some  persons 
are  prolific  in  schemes  of  usefulness,  but  are  miserably 
poor  in  executing  them.  Like  some  trees,  that  spend 
themselves  in  blossom.  A  gentleman  showed  me  a  fine- 
looking  tree  in  his  grounds,  which  he  said  he  had  resolved 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  113 

to  cut  down,  for  although  for  years  it  had  produced  a 
finer  blossom  than  any  other  tree  in  the  garden,  yet  it 
never  bore  fruit.  He  mentioned  it  to  a  friend,  who  said, 
*  The  fact  is,  the  tree  spends  itself  in  blossoms.  I  ad- 
vise you  to  cut  the  rind  off  it  nearly  half-way  round, 
and  it  will  probably  have  less  blossoms  but  it  will  bear 
fruit.'  He  did  so,  and  the  result  was,  that  it  afterwards 
produced  more  and  better  fruit  than  any  other  tree  in 
the  garden." 

Rev.  Dr.  Franklin. — It  is  said  of  him  that  he  had 
quite  a  passion  for  fruitfulness.  His  signet-ring  had  for 
a  device,  a  fruit-bearing  tree,  with  the  motto  from  Ps.  i. 
3 ;  and  when  near  his  end,  being  asked  by  his  son  and 
pastoral  successor  for  some  word  of  condensed  wisdom 
to  be  treasured  up  as  a  remembrance  and  a  prompter, 
he  breathed  into  his  ear  the  word  "  fruitful." 

FULNESS  OF  CHRIST 
— IS  fountain  fulness, — ocean  fulness, — dwelling  fulness, 
— universal — efficient — fulness. 

"  A  FOUNTAIN  is  not  like  a  cistern :  a  cistern  may  be 
full,  but  the  fulness  of  it  may  be  emptied,  so  may  the 
fulness  of  a  fountain  too,  but  then  a  fountain  or  a  spring 
fills  itself  again  immediately.  So  doth  not  a  cistern. 
A  cistern  may  be  full,  but  it  doth  not  rise  up  and  run 
over,  as  a  fountain,  doth,  and  that  continually.  For  this 
reason  the  corrupt  nature  in  us  is  compared  to  a  fountain, 
Jer.  vi.  7, — bubbling  up  in  vain  thoughts,  inordinate  de- 
sires, corrupt  affections.  Now  in  Jesus  Christ  there  is  a 
fulness,  and  it  is  a  fountain-fulness.  Col.  i.  19,  fulness — 
all  fulness,  and  all  fulness  d^velling^  and  hy  the  good 
pleasure  of  the  Father." — Philip  Henry. 
10  * 


114  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

"  Oh  !  SIRS !  there  is  in  a  crucified  Jesus  something 
proportionable  to  all  the  straits,  wants,  necessities  and 
desires  of  his  poor  saints.  He  is  bread  to  nourish  them, 
a  garment  to  cover  them,  a  physician  to  heal  them,  a 
counsellor  to  advise  them,  a  captain  to  defend  them,  a 
prince  to  rule  them,  a  prophet  to  teach,  and  a  priest  to 
make  atonement  for  them,  a  husband  to  protect,  a  father 
to  provide,  a  brother  to  relieve,  a  foundation  to  support, 
a  root  to  quicken,  a  head  to  guide,  a  treasure  to  enrich, 
a  sun  to  enlighten,  and  a  fountain  to  cleanse  them." — 
Bi'ooks. 

The  fulness  that  is  in  the  saints,  is  such  a  fulness  as 
does  ebb  and  flow ;  as  the  haven  is  said  to  be  full  of 
water,  yet  sometimes  it  is  empty  :  but  there  is  a  dx^eUing 
fulness  in  Jesus  Christ ;  and  therefore  says  the  Apostle, 
it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him  should  all  fulness  dwell. 
Oh!  it  is  a  dwelling  fulness  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ." — 
W.  Bridge, 

"  If  two,  or  three,  or  six,  or  twenty  men  be  athirst, 
and  they  go  to  drink  out  of  a  bottle,  while  one  is  drink- 
ing the  other  envies,  because  he  thinks  there  will  not  be 
enough  for  him  too ;  but  if  now  five,  six,  twenty,  a  hun- 
dred be  athirst,  and  go  to  the  river,  while  one  is  drinking 
the  other  envies  not.  Why  ?  because  there  is  enough 
to  serve  them  all.  Beloved !  if  it  be  more  of  Christ 
that  we  strive  for,  if  it  be  more  of  Jesus  Christ  that  we 
strive  for, — there  is  a  fulness  in  him,  there  is  enough  in 
Christ,  there  is  enough  in  Jesus  Christ,  ye  have  heard, 
to  serve  all  turns.  Oh  !  therefore,  that  there  may  be 
no  more  striving,  no  more  envy,  no  more  contention,  no 
more  division-labor,  let  us  all  labor  to  be  more  and  more 
like  unto  Jesus  Christ :  he  was  full  of  grace,  especially 


ILLUSTRATIVE    aATHERINGS.  115 

he  was  full  of  love ;  let  us  labor  to  be  like  unto  him.'* 
—  W.  Bridge. 

The  fulness  of  the  earth  is  a  fulness  that  runs  into 
emptiness,  a  fulness  that  hath  a  hole  at  the  bottom ;  like 
unto  an  hour-glass ;  if  you  turn  it  up,  the  upper  part  is 
full  of  sand ;  but  because  it  hath  a  hole  at  the  bottom, 
and  there  stands  a  glass  beneath  it  as  big  as  itself,  it 
empties  itself  into  that  glass.  So  now  it  is  with  the 
world's  fulness.  Oh !  but  the  fulness  of  Jesus  Christ, 
the  fulness  of  Jesus  Christ  is  a  dwelling  fulness,  and  a 
fulness  runs  out  into  believers,  and  yet  he  is  full  himself, 
in  him  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  dwells,  it  dwelleth 
there." — W.  Bridge. 

I  HAVE  FOUND  it  an  interesting  thing  to  stand  on  the 
edge  of  a  noble  rolling  river,  and  to  think  that  although 
it  has  been  flowing  on  for  six  thousand  years,  watering 
the  fields,  and  slaking  the  thirst  of  a  hundred  genera- 
tions, it  shows  no  sign  of  waste  or  want ;  and  when  I 
have  watched  the  rise  of  the  sun,  as  he  shot  above  the 
crest  of  the  mountain,  or  in  a  sky  draped  with  golden 
curtains,  sprang  up  from  his  ocean  bed,  I  have  wondered 
to  think  that  he  has  melted  the  snows  of  so  many  win- 
ters, and  renewed  the  verdure  of  so  many  springs,  and 
painted  the  flowers  of  so  many  summers,  and  ripened 
the  golden  harvest  of  so  many  autumns,  and  yet  shines 
as  brilliant  as  ever,  his  eye  not  dim,  nor  his  natural 
strength  abated,  nor  his  floods  of  light  less  full,  for  cen- 
turies of  boundless  profusion.  Yet  what  are  these  but 
images  of  the  fulness  that  is  in  Christ  ?  Let  that  feed 
your  hopes,  and  cheer  your  hearts,  and  brighten  your 
faith,  and  send  you  away  this  day  happy  and  rejoicing. 
For,  when  judgment  flames  have  licked  up  that  flowing 


116  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

stream,  and  the  light  of  that  glorious  sun  shall  be 
quenched  in  darkness  or  veiled  in  the  smoke  of  a  burn- 
ing world,  the  fulness  of  Christ  shall  flow  on  throughout 
eternity,  in  the  bliss  of  the  redeemed.  Blessed  Saviour, 
Image  of  God,  Divine  Redeemer !  in  thy  presence  is 
fulness  of  joy,  at  thy  right  hand  there  are  pleasures  for 
evermore.  What  thou  hast  gone  to  heaven  to  prepare, 
may  we  be  called  up  at  death  to  enjoy  !" — Br.  Cruthrie, 

GENTLENESS. 

*'True  gentleness  is  founded  on  solid  principle. 
The  tiger  has  a  sleek  and  glossy  skin ;  but  woe  to  the 
hapless  victim  that  comes  within  reach  of  his  fatal 
spring. 

The  gentle  mind  is  like  a  calm  and  peaceful  stream 
that  reflects  every  object  in  its  just  proportion.  The 
violent  spirit,  like  troubled  waters,  renders  back  the 
images  of  things  distorted  and  broken,  and  communi- 
cates to  them  that  disordered  motion,  which  arises  from 
its  own  agitation. 

The  Bible  Christian  is  the  only  real  gentleman. 
— The  complaisance  of  the  world  is  only  a  mask,  under 
which  is  concealed  the  deformity  and  selfishness  of 
vice ;  the  courteousness  of  the  real  Christian  is  a  mir- 
ror, in  which  the  graceful  charms  of  true  piety  are 
seen. 

"  Were  there  more  persons  of  the  mild  benevolence 
of  Fenelon,  the  angelic  meekness  of  Archbishop  Leigh- 
ton,  and  the  conciliating  gentleness  of  Dr.  Bates,  who 
has  not  been  inaptly  likened  to  the  mild  and  pacific 
Melancthon,  infidels  would  not  have  such  cause  to  glory 
in  the  divisions  and  disputes  of  Christians." — Thornton. 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  117 

Henry  Martyn  in  his  Journals  writes,  "I  walked 
into  the  village  where  the  boat  stopped  for  the  night, 
and  found  the  worshippers  of  Cali  bj  the  sound  of  their 
drums  and  cymbals.  I  did  not  speak  to  them  on  account 
of  their  being  Bangalees.  But  being  invited  to  walk  in 
by  the  Brahmins,  I  walked  within  the  railings,  and  asked 
a  few  questions  about  the  idol.  The  Brahmin,  who  spoke 
bad  Hindoostani,  disputed  with  great  heat,  and  his  tongue 
ran  faster  than  I  could  follow,  and  the  people,  who  were 
about  an  hundred,  shouted  applause.  But  I  continued 
to  ask  my  questions,  without  making  any  remarks  upon 
the  answers.  I  asked,  among  other  things,  whether  what 
I  heard  of  Vishnu  and  Brahma  were  true,  which  they 
confessed.  ,  I  forebore  to  press  them  with  the  conse- 
quences, which  he  seemed  to  feel,  and  so  I  told  him  what 
was  my  belief.  The  man  grew  quite  mild,  and  said  it 
was  cJmlahat  (good  words),  and  asked  me  seriously  at 
last  what  I  thought, — Was  idol  worship  true  or  false  ? 
I  felt  it  a  matter  of  thankfulness  that  I  could  make 
known  the  truth  of  God,  though  but  a  stammerer,  and 
that  I  had  declared  it  in  the  presence  of  a  devil.  And 
this  I  also  learned,  that  the  power  of  gentleness  is  irre- 
sistible. 

GLORIFYING  GOD. 

"  The  believer  makes  the  glory  of  God  his  chief 
end,  the  providence  of  God  his  chief  support,  and  the 
Divine  precepts  his  chief  delight." — Dr.  Conder. 

"  All  the  benefit  which  ariseth  out  of  giving  glory  to 
God,  redounds  to  us  and  none  to  him.  His  glory  is  in- 
finite and  eternally  the  same.  There  is  and  can  be  no 
accession  unto  that  by  all  our  praises.     When  a  glass  re- 


118  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

flecteth  the  brightness  of  the  sun,  there  is  but  an  ac- 
knowledgement of  what  is,  not  any  addition  of  what  is 
not.  When  an  excellent  orator  makes  a  panegyrical 
oration  of  some  honorable  person,  he  doth  not  infuse 
any  drachm  of  worth  into  the  person,  but  only  setteth 
forth  and  dcclareth  that  which  is  unto  others.  A  curious 
picture  praiseth  a  beautiful  face,  not  by  adding  beauty 
to  it,  but  by  representing  that  which  was  in  it  before. 
The  window  which  lets  in  light  to  a  house,  doth  not 
benefit  the  light,  but  the  house  into  which  the  light 
shineth.  So  our  praising  God  doth  serve  to  quicken, 
comfort,  and  refresh  ourselves  who  have  interest  in  so 
good  a  God ;  or  to  edify  and  encourage  our  brethren, 
that  they  may  be  ambitious  to  serve  so  honorable  a 
master,  but  they  add  no  lustre  or  glory  to  God  at  all." — 
Bishop  Reynolds. 

The  CRAFTY  ARCHITECT. — "It  is  recorded  of  an 
architect  of  the  name  of  Cnidius,  that  having  built  a 
watch-tower  for  the  King  of  Egypt,  to  warn  mariners 
from  certain  dangerous  rocks,  he  caused  his  own  name 
to  be  engraved  on  a  certain  stone  in  the  wall,  and  then 
having  covered  it  with  plaster,  he  inscribed  on  the  out- 
side, in  golden  letters,  the  name  of  the  King  of  Egypt, 
as  though  the  thing  were  done  for  his  glory.  He  was 
cunning  enough  to  know  that  the  waves  would,  ere  long, 
wash  away  the  coat  of  plastering,  and  that  then  his  own 
name  would  appear,  and  his  memory  be  handed  down  to 
successive  generations.  How  many  are  there  who,  w*hile 
affecting  to  seek  only  the  glory  of  God  and  his  church, 
are  really  seeking  whatever  is  calculated  to  gratify  self- 
love.  Could  the  outer  coat  as  it  were  of  their  pretences 
be  removed,  we  should  see  them,  as  they  really  are,  de- 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  Ill) 

sirous  not  of  God's  glory,  but  of  their  own." — Illustra- 
tions of  Truth. 

Lady  Glenorchy  owed  her  conversion  to  the  open- 
ing words  of  the  Assembly's  Catechism  being  powerfully 
applied  by  the  Spirit  to  her  heart, — "  What  is  the  chief 
end  of  man?"  "To  glorify  God,  and  enjoy  him  for- 
ever." 

GRACE. 

What  a  man  receives  may  well  be  called  gratis,  be- 
cause he  receives  it  gratis,  freely  ;  and  it  makes  him 
gratius,  thankful. 

There  is  not  a  round  in  the  ladder  to  heaven  which 
does  not  give  every  one  that  steps  upon  it  just  ground  to 
sing,  Grace,  Grace. 

"A  spirit  without  the  grace  of  God  is  a  field  without 
a  fence,  and  a  fool  without  understanding ;  it  is  a  horse 
without  a  bridle,  and  a  house  without  furniture ;  it  is  a 
soldier  without  armor,  and  a  cloud  without  rain  ;  it  is  a 
carcase  without  a  soul,  a  tree  without  fruit,  and  a  traveler 
without  a  guide." — Henry. 

"  All  our  sufficiency  for  our  spiritual  work  and  war- 
fare is  from  the  grace  of  God ;  and  if  all  be  from  him, 
let  all  be  to  him." — Henry. 

"  There  is  the  existence  of  all  grace  in  the  child  of 
God;  but  deficiency  in  every  grace. "-r—«/.  H.  Evans. 

"  All  that  ever  found  grace,  have  known  that  grace 
found  them." — J.  H.  Evans. 

"  They  forget  that  the  Lord  Jesus  takes  his  Bride 
without  any  dower." — J.  H.  Evans. 

"  0  blessed  power  of  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  when  a 
poor  man  leaves  everything  ind  comes  to  Christ  for  al3 


120  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

things ;  when  he  no  longer  reasons  what  can  he  bring, 
but  what  can  he  receive?" — J.  H.  Evans. 

""  Grace  does  not  stand  upon  a  distant  mountain-top, 
and  call  on  the  sinner  to  climb  up  the  steep  heights,  that 
he  may  obtain  its  treasures  ;  it  comes  down  into  the  valley 
in  quest  of  him,  nay,  it  stretches  down  its  hand  into  the 
very  lowest  depths  of  the  horrible  pit,  to  pluck  him 
thence  out  of  the  miry  clay.  It  does  not  offer  to  pay  the 
ninety  and  nine  talents,  if  he  will  pay  the  remaining  one : 
it  provides  payment  for  the  whole,  whatever  the  sum  may 
be.  It  does  not  offer  to  complete  the  work,  if  he  will  only 
begin  it  by  doing  what  he  can ;  it  takes  the  whole  work 
in  hand,  from  first  to  last,  pre-supposing  his  total  help- 
lessness. It  does  not  bargain  with  the  sinner,  that  if  he 
will  throw  off  a  few  sins,  and  put  forth  some  efforts  after 
better  things,  it  will  step  in  and  relieve  him  of  the  rest, 
by  forgiving  and  cleansing  him ;  it  comes  up  to  him  at 
once,  with  nothing  short  of  complete  forgiveness  as  the 
starting-point  of  all  his  efforts  to  be  holy.  It  does  not 
say,  '  Go,  and  sin  no  more,  and  I  will  not  condemn  thee;' 
it  says  at  once,  *  Neither  do  I  condemn  thee ;  go  and  sin 
no  more.'  " — Rev.  H.  Bonar. 

"  Grace  may  be,  and  often  is,  found  where  there  is  no 
natural  softness  or  amiableness  of  temper  ;  where  this 
exists,  it  will  grow  with  greater  rapidity,  and  expand  to 
greater  magnitude,  and  flourish  in  greater  beauty ;  like 
the  mountain-ash  in  the  rich  mould  of  the  valley ;  but 
still  it  may  be  planted,  like  that  noble  tree,  in  less 
congenial  situation,  and  thrive  in  obedience  to  the  law 
of  its  nature,  amidst  barrenness  and  rocks." — Illustra^ 
tions  of  Truth. 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  121 

HAPPINESS. 

"  The  great  secret  of  all  happiness  is  knowing  the 
way  to  the  cross." — J.  H.  Evmis, 

"  Happiness  does  not  consist  in  things,  but  in 
thoughts." — Booth. 

^^  Happiness  consists  in  the  constitution  of  the  habits." 
— Paley. 

It  is  in  vain  that  a  man  has  the  means  of  happi- 
ness without,  if  he  has  not  the  capacity  of  happiness 
within  himself. 

"  If  we  seek  our  happiness  in  anything  beside  the 
peace  of  God  and  a  good  conscience,  we  shall  as  cer- 
tainly be  unhappy,  as  that  anything  in  the  world  is  un- 
certain."— Adam. 

Varro,  an  eminent  writer,  reckons  up  no  less  than 
288  different  opinions,  concerning  the  chief  good  or  hap- 
piness of  man.  Alas  !  the  world  will  not  believe, — "  but 
one  thing  is  needful."     (Luke  x.  42.) 

A  GOOD  receipt  for  true  happiness  has  well  been 
given ;  "  Light  in  the  head — grace  in  the  heart — constant 
activity  for  good  in  the  outward  life." 

"  Happiness  is  a  road-side  flower,  growing  on  the 
highway  of  usefulness." — Tupper. 

False  happiness  is  like  false  money ;  it  may  pass 
for  a  time  as  well  as  true,  and  serve  some  ordinary  oc- 
casions ;  but  when  it  is  brought  to  the  test,  we  find  the 
lightness  and  alloy,  and  feel  the  loss." — Pope. 

A  great  secret  of  happiness  is  to  cultivate  an  un- 
dergrowth of  small  pleasures ;  well  assured  that  the 
greater  are  rarely  let  out  on  long  leases. 

"  How  to  be  HAPPY. — Make  the  doing  the  will  of  God 
the  business  of  your  life.     How  to  be  miserable. — Do- 
ll 


122  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

termine  to  gratify  the  carnal  propensities  of  your  nature, 
and  spare  no  pains  to  execute  your  purposes." — Ameri- 
can Messenger. 

"  The  idea  has  been  transmitted  from  generation  to 
generation,  that  happiness  is  one  large  and  beautiful 
preci:)us  stone, — a  single  gem,  so  rare  that  all  search 
after  it  is  vain,  all  effort  for  it  hopeless.  It  is  not  so. 
Happiness  is  a  Mosaic,  composed  of  many  smaller  stones. 
Each  taken  apart  and  viewed  singly,  may  be  of  little 
value ;  but  when  all  are  grouped  together,  and  judiciously 
combined  and  set,  they  form  a  pleasing  and  graceful 
whole — a  costly  jewel.  Trample  not  under  foot,  then, 
the  little  pleasures  which  a  gracious  Providence  scatters 
in  the  daily  path,  and  which  in  eager  search  after  some 
great  and  exciting  joy,  we  are  so  apt  to  overlook.  Why 
should  we  always  keep  our  eyes  fixed  on  the  bright  dis- 
tant horizon,  while  there  are  so  many  lovely  roses  in  the 
garden  in  which  we  are  permitted  to  walk  ?  The  very 
ardor  of  our  chase  after  happiness  may  be  the  reason 
that  she  so  often  eludes  our  grasp.  We  pantingly  strain 
after  her,  when  she  has  been  graciously  brought  nigh 
unto  us." 

John  Newton  said  once  to  a  gay  friend, — ''  I  need 
not  turn  Deist  to  enjoy  the  best  and  the  most,  that  this 
world  can  afford." 

The  Rev.  J.  H.  Stewart,  speaking  to  a  young  lady 
on  the  secret  of  happiness,  said, — "Always  keep  on  the 
Bunny  side  of  the  Rock." 

"The  happiest  child  I  ever  saw,"  says  the  Rev.  J. 
C.  Ryle,  "  was  a  little  girl  whom  I  once  met  traveling  in 
a  railway  carriage.  She  was  eight  years  old,  and  she 
was  quite  blind.     She  had  never  been  able  to  see  at  all. 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  123 

She  had  never  seen  the  sun,  and  the  stars,  and  the  sky, 
and  the  grass,  and  the  flowers,  and  the  trees,  and  the 
birds,  and  all  those  pleasant  things  which  we  see  every 
day  of  our  lives ;  but  still  she  was  quite  happy.  She 
was  by  herself,  poor  little  thing.  She  had  no  friends  or 
relations  to  take  care  of  her ;  but  she  was  quite  happy 
and  content.  She  said,  when  she  got  into  the  carriage, 
'  Tell  me  how  many  people  there  are  in  the  carriage,  for 
I  am  quite  blind,  and  can  see  nothing.'  A  gentleman 
asked  her  if  she  was  not  afraid.  '  No,'  she  said,  '  I  have 
traveled  before,  and  I  trust  in  God,  and  people  are  always 
very  good  to  me.'  But  I  soon  found  out  the  reason  why 
she  was  so  happy.  She  loved  Jesus  Christ  and  Jesus 
Christ  loved  her ;  she  had  sought  Jesus  Christ,  and  she 
had  found  him." 

The  old  slave. — "  Happy  Dick  "  was  the  name  of 
an  old  negro,  who  walked  with  God.  He  had  a  kind 
master,  who  allowed  him  a  free  hut  for  himself  and  his 
wife  when  he  became  too  old  to  work,  in  consideration 
of  the  work  he  had  done  whilst  he  had  strength.  He 
was  a  beautiful  example  of  bright  and  cheerful  piety,  as 
he  sat  under  his  great  magnolia  tree.  One  day  a  Chris- 
tian lady  asked  him  if  he  never  felt  uncomfortable  when 
he  thought  that  he  was  a  slave ;  and  if  he  never  longed 
for  the  independence  of  other  men,  so  that  he  might 
know  what  it  was  to  lay  up  his  earnings,  and  have  some- 
thing to  call  his  own.  "  0,  missus,  don't  ask  me  that," 
said  the  old  negro ;  "  dem  days  is  all  gone  by,  and  I's 
longed  for  freedom  mightly,  but  I  long  for  heaben,  too, 
and  dat's  a  great  deal  better.  I  nebber  allows  myself  to 
'fleet  on  de  bad  tings  dat  happen  to  me,  nor  de  good 
tings  dat  I  nebber  had ;  and  when  I  tink  about  something 


124  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

to  call  mj  own,  it  seems  as  if  I  had  a  big  treasure  right 
here,  dat  I  don't  owe  any  man  for." 

"How  is  that,  Dick?" 

"When  all  de  rest  ob  de  world,  Missus,  are  saying, 
*Dis  is  mi/  house,'  'Dat  is  mi/  sugar-mill,'  'Dere  is  mi/ 
great  cotton  patch,'  I  say,  '  Dere  is  my  hope,  and  dere 
is  my  Saviour ;'  and  when  I  own  de  Lord  Jesus,  it  seems 
as  if  I  owned  all  de  rest ;  for  de  earth  is  de  Lord's,  and 
de  fulness  dereof.  De  air  is  mine  and  I  can  bread  it ; 
de  sunshine  is  mine  and  I  can  sit  in  it ;  de  earth  is  mine, 
and  I  can  lie  down  on  it  to  sleep." 

HEARING  THE  WORD. 

"We  seem  to  have  done  with  the  word  as  it  has 
passed  through  our  ears ;  but  the  word,  be  it  remembered, 
will  never  have  done  with  us,  till  it  has  judged  us  at  the 
last  day." — Judge  Hale. 

The  word  often  produces  no  more  effect  on  many 
hearers  than  the  wind-wave  that  stirs  the  corn ;  no  sooner 
is  it  passed,  than  the  stalk  returns  again  to  its  usual 
state. 

"When  you  are  under  the  word,  beware  of  sitting 
rather  as  judges  than  as  criminals." — Fletcher. 

"  Many  men  take  no  pleasure  in  flowers,  or  care  any 
further  for  them  than  to  look  upon  them,  smell  them,  and 
have  them  in  their  hands ;  but  the  bees  draw  from  them 
both  honey  and  wax,  and  the  skillful  apothecary  maketh 
many  medicines  of  them  against  divers  and  sundry  dis< 
eases.  Thus  many  hear  sermons  only  for  their  plea- 
sure, for  the  elegance  of  the  style,  delicacy  of  the  words, 
smoothness  of  the  language,  and  gracefulness  of  the 
delivery,  but  this  is  but  to  make  a  nosegay  to  smell  for 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  125 

a  while,  and  cast  it  anon  after  into  a  corner ;  to  hear  the 
word  gladly,  but  in  time  of  temptation  to  fall  away." — 
Spencer. 

"  What  dead  prayer  !  w^hat  dead  hearing !  what 
dead  receiving !  as  if  men  would  teach  God  how  to  deny 
tliem,  or  as  if  they  would  bid  the  Lord  keep  his  grace. 
They  will  come  and  say  prayers,  and  give  an  ear,  but 
they  have  no  burning  nor  thirsting  desire." — Fenner. 

Chill  after  warmth  is  always  dangerous  ;  but  how 
many,  after  being  warmed  at  the  church,  directly  they 
get  out  of  it,  begin  some  worldly  conversation,  and  lose 
all  the  warmth  they  got. 

*'  You,  who  are  so  much  on  the  mount  with  God  on 
the  Lord's  day,  ought  to  show  it  as  Moses  did,  by  the 
shining  of  your  faces,  in  all  instances  of  wisdom  and 
grace  all  the  week  after." — 31.  Henry. 

Half-day  hearers. — A  gentleman  thus  accosted  Dr. 
Bedell,  "Well,  sir,  you  are  the  only  man  who  could 
bring  me  out  twice  a  day."  "Sir,"  was  the  reply,  "I 
am  sorry  that  your  respect  for  me,  is  stronger  than  your 
sense  of  duty  to  your  God." — Christian  Treasury. 

Philip  Henry  notes  in  his  Diary,  the  saying  of  a 
pious  hearer  of  his  own,  which  much  affected  him ;  "  I 
find  it  easier,"  said  the  good  man,  "to  go  six  miles  to 
hear  a  sermon,  than  to  spend  one  quarter  of  an  hour  in 
meditation,  and  praying  over  it  in  secret,  as  I  should, 
when  I  come  home." — Cheevers  Anecdotes. 

The  Rev.  Legh  Richmond  says : — "  Beware  of  criti- 
cal hearing  of  sermons,  preached  by  good  men.  It  is  an 
awful  thing  to  be  occupied  in  balancing  the  merits  of  a 
preacher,  instead  of  the  demerits  of  yourself.  Consider 
every  opportunity  of  hearing  as  a  message  sent  you  from 
u  » 


126  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

heaven.     For  all  the  sermons  you  have  heard,  you  will 
have  to  render  an  account  at  the  last  day." 

A  PIOUS  LADY  once  left  a  church  in  this  city  in  com- 
pany with  her  husband,  who  was  not  a  professor  of  reli- 
gion. She  was  a  woman  of  unusual  vivacity,  with  a  keen 
perception  of  the  ludicrous,  and  often  playfully  sarcastic. 
As  they  walked  along  toward  home,  she  began  to  make 
some  amusing  and  spicy  comments  on  the  sermon,  which 
a  stranger,  a  man  of  very  ordinary  talents  and  awkward 
manner,  had  preached  that  morning,  in  the  absence  of 
the  pastor.  After  running  on  in  this  vein  of  sportive 
criticism  for  some  time,  surprised  at  the  profound  silence 
of  her  husband,  she  turned  and  looked  up  in  his  face ! 
He  was  in  tears.  That  sermon  had  sent  an  arrow  of 
conviction  to  his  heart !  Let  the  reader  imagine  the 
anguish  of  the  conscience-stricken  wife,  thus  arrested  in 
the  act  of  ridiculing  a  discourse,  which  had  been  the 
means  of  awakening  the  anxiety  of  her  unconverted  hus- 
band !" — Christian  Treasure/. 

HEAVEN 

— IS  a  resting-place  from  toil — the  only  port  that  is 
always  calm. 

— IS  DESIGNED  for  our  rescue  and  reward. 

In  HEAVEN  will  be  found  peace  without  molestation — 
plenty  without  want — health  without  sickness — day  with- 
out night — pleasure  without  pain — and  life  without  the 
least  mixture  or  dread  of  death. — Moir. 

In  HEAVEN  our  hearts  will  swell  with  rapture,  but 
never  murmur — our  breasts  warm  with  gratitude,  but 
never  sigh — our  eyes  be  charmed  with  visions,  but  never 
weep — our  hands  enriched  with  palms  of  victory,  but 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  127 

never  tremble — and  our  heads  encircled  with  an  ex- 
ceeding and  eternal  weight  of  glory,  but  never  ache  !" — 
Moir. 

"  As  the  lower  streets  of  heaven  are  upon  earth,  so 
the  upper  streets  of  hell  are  upon  earth  too ;  and  each 
at  the  commencement  shows  what  the  end  will  be." — J. 
H.  Evans. 

"  The  gate  that  leads  to  heaven  is  a  strait  gate,  there- 
fore we  should  fear;  it  is  an  open  gate,  therefore  we 
should  hope." — Mason. 

"  The  NOTION  that  we  can,  at  present,  form  of  heav- 
enly glory,  is  only  such  as  we  may  have  of  a  large  vol- 
ume, by  a  brief  synopsis  or  table — of  a  magnificent  fab- 
ric, by  a  small  model  or  platform — of  a  spacious  country, 
by  a  scanty  landscape.  From  the  Bible  we  may  obtain 
a  true,  but  not  a  full  representation  of  glory ;  such  as 
may  secure  our  apprehensions  from  error,  but  not  from 
ignorance. ' ' — Howe. 

"  Ah  1  believer !  it  is  only  heaven  that  is  above  all 
winds,  storms,  and  tempests.  God  did  not  cast  man  out 
of  Paradise,  that  he  might  be  able  to  find  himself  an- 
other paradise  in  this  world.  The  world  and  you  must 
part,  or  Christ  and  you  wdll  never  meet.  Ye  cannot 
serve  God  and  mammon." — Brooks. 

"  It  may  be  a  sin  to  long  for  death,  but  I  am  sure  it 
is  no  sin  to  long  for  heaven." — M.  Henry.  ^_ 

Earth  and  Heaven. — Here  we  are  like  men  walking\ 
in  the  dim  twilight,  with  occasional  gleams  of  brighter  / 
light,  sinking  again  in  gloom  and  darkness ;  there  the  \ 
path  of  the  just  will  be  as  the  perfect  day.  Here  we  j 
are  in  the  gloomy  crypt,  amidst  humiliating  marks  of  / 
sin  and  sorrow ;  there  we  shall  worship  the  Lord  in  the  j 


128  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

cathedral  aisles  of  light  and  love.  "Believers,"  says 
Howe,  "have  something  of  glory  now  shining  upon  them, 
but  the  many  interpositions  to  which  it  is  subjected, 
cause  a  refraction  of  the  light.  Hence  while  here 
w^e  have  but  its  dispersed  rays,  its  scattered  beams; 
but  hereafter  we  shall  have  it  in  its  perfection  and  full- 
ness." 

All  gold. — "  All  the  visions  were  rich,  but  this  the 
richest,  that  the  floor  of  the  house  shall  be  covered  with 
gold.  The  floor  and  street  are  walking  places,  and  how 
rich  will  our  steps  be  then !  Alas  !  here  we  sometimes 
step  into  the  ruin,  and  then  again  stumble  upon  blocks 
and  stones.  Then  we  sometimes  fall  into  the  holes, 
and  have  our  heel  caught  in  a  snare,  but  then  there 
will  be  none  of  these.  Gold !  gold !  all  will  be  gold 
and  golden  perfections,  when  we  come  into  the  Holy 
Place." 

So  GLORIOUS  !  "  The  idolatrous  temple  of  Diana 
was 'so  bright  and  dazzling,  that  the  door-keeper  cried 
always  to  them  that  entered,  '  Take  heed  to  your 
eyes !'  What  faculties  of  vision  must  we  have  to  be- 
hold the  glory  of  the  Temple  above!" — Buck's  Anec- 
dotes. 

It  is  said  of  Tully,  when  he  was  banished  from  Italy, 
and  of  Demosthenes,  when  he  was  banished  from  Athens, 
that  they  wept  every  time  they  looked  towards  their  own 
country.  Is  it  strange,  if  a  believer  should  sometimes 
weep  when  he  looks  upwards  ? 

What  a  strange  heaven  some  persons  desire,  and  how 
strangely  they  desire  it;  a  heaven  of  rest,  to  escape 
from  torment.  They  desire  to  escape  hell,  but  not  really 
to  enjoy  heaven ;  they  want  the  wages,  but  not  the  work, 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  129 

the  pleasures,  but  not  the  pain,  the  crown,  but  not  the 
cross.  Thej  want  to  go  on  in  sin  till  the  very  last  pos- 
sible hour,  and  then  suddenly  prepare  to  join  the  plea- 
sures of  heaven ! 

Benares. — Such  strange  delusions  people  have  !  In 
India  and  elsewhere  there  are  cities  called  holy  and  sa- 
cred, and  the  people  believe  they  aTe  nearer  heaven. 
Benares  is  thought  to  be  the  very  centre  of  the  earth, 
800,000  steps  nearer  heaven  than  any  other  place.  One 
day  a  man  told  Mr.  Leupolt  a  direct  lie,  and  on  his  re- 
proving him,  he  said,  "What  does  it  matter?  don't  I 
live  at  Benares  ?" 

Its  joys  eternal. 

"  Our  joys  after  some  centuries  of  years  may  seem  to 
have  grown  older  by  having  been  enjoyed  so  many  ages, 
yet  they  will  really  still  continue  new,  not  only  upon  the 
scores  of  their  welcomeness  and  freshness,  but  by  their 
perpetually  equal  (because  infinite)  distance  from  a  pe- 
riod. And,  if  heaven  do  admit  variety,  it  may  be  sup- 
posed such  a  one,  as  shall  consist  in  a  further  knowledge 
of  the  first  object  (God),  not  a  forsaking  of  it;  and 
such  as  arises  from  the  fixed  beholding  of  the  changing 
necks  of  doves,  or  such  as  we  may  see  in  the  diversified 
refractions  of  the  same  sparkling  diamond.  In  God 
there  is  (if  I  may  so  speak)  such  a  various  identity  that 
the  fruition  of  him  both  satisfies  and  creates  desires : 
though  that  without  satiety ;  and  this  without  disquiet. 
Other  delights,  like  the  usual  clothes  we  wear,  quickly 
grow  stale,  and  are  soon  worn  out;  whereas  celestial 
pleasures  participate  the  prerogative  of  the  Jews'  gar- 
ments in  the  wilderness  of  not  impairing  by  being  used 
long.     But  as  the  amorous  needle,  once  joined  unto  the 


130  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

loadstone,  would  never,  uncompelled,  forsake  the  en- 
chanting mineral ;  but,  after  ages,  cling  no  less  closely 
to  it  than  the  first  moment  of  their  union :  so  do  the 
saints  in  heaven,  with  the  same  undiminished  freshness, 
ever  possess  their  joys,  as  if  each  moment  were  the  first 
that  tliey  possessed  them  in." — Hon.  Bohert  Boyle. 

Glory  of —     » 

Glory  of  Christ  eclipses  not  the  glory  of  the 
SAINTS. — "  There  is  this  difference  between  the  Sun  of 
righteousness  and  that  in  the  sky:  that,  whereas  the 
latter,  by  his  presence,  eclipses  all  the  planets  (his  at- 
tendants) ;  the  former,  though  radiant  with  a  much 
brighter  splendor,  will,  by  his  presence,  impart  glory  to 
his  saints ;  according  to  that  word,  '  When  Christ,  who 
is  our  life,  shall  appear,  then  shall  ye  also  appear  with 
him  in  glory.'  So  that  the  elect,  in  relation  to  this  Sun, 
shall  not  be  like  stars,  which  his  shining  obscures  and 
makes  to  disappear ;  but,  like  polished  silver,  or  well- 
glazed  arms,  or  those  vaster  balls  of  burnished  brass 
the  tops  of  churches  are  sometimes  adorned  with,  which 
shine  not  till  they  are  shined  upon,  and  derive  their 
glittering  brightness,  and  all  the  dazzling  fire  that  en- 
virons and  illustrates  them,  from  their  being  exposed 
(unscreened)  to  the  sun's  refulgent  beams." — Hon. 
Bohert  Boyle. 

HELP  DIVINE. 

Philip  Henry  thus  wrote  upon  a  studying  day, — "  I 
forgot  when  I  began,  explicitly  and  expressly  to  crave 
help  from  God,  and  the  chariot-wheels  drove  accordingly. 
Lord,  forgive  my  omissions,  and  keep  me  in  the  way  of 
duty.'' 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  131 

Another  old  Divine  observes, — "If  God  drops  not 
down  his  assistance,  we  write  with  a  pen  that  hath  no 
ink'' 

"A  POOR  WOMAN  sat  upon  the  steps  of  a  dark  prison 
weeping  bitterly  over  the  sentence  of  a  ruined  son. 

"  'What  aileth  thee,  sister?'  said  a  gentleman,  stopping 
before  her,  taking  her  hand  kindly  in  his. 

"  'My  heart  is  broken,  sir,'  she  replied. 

" '  Can  I  do  anything  for  you?' 

"  'No,  sir,  nothing.' 

'"Well,  God  can  help  you,  and  I  will  go  home  and 
ask  him  to  do  it,'  said  the  gentleman.  It  was  a  Little 
thing  he  did.  It  neither  clothed  nor  fed  the  poor  wo- 
man, but  that  one  sweet  word,  'sister,'  fell  like  healing 
oil  upon  her  wounded  spirit.  She  arose  strengthened, 
and  went  to  her  lowly  home.  When  she  knelt  to  tell 
her  Saviour  her  sorrows,  she  felt  that  some  one  had  been 
there  before  her.  His  prayer  was  answered,  her  spirit 
was  calmed." — Christian  Treasury. 

John  Berridge  wrote  thus  to  a  friend, — "Truly,  my 
friend,  my  case  is  just  the  same  as  yours.  I  am  not 
able  to  walk  a  step  without  a  crutch,  and  the  wood  of  it 
came  from  Calvary, — my  crutch  is  Christ,  and  a  blessed 
crutch  he  is.  Oh  let  me  lean  my  whole  weight  on  thee 
whilst  I  am  walking  through  this  wilderness." 

HOPE. 

"  There  is  no  condition  on  earth  so  low,  that  we  may 
not  cheer  it  with  hope;  and  none  so  high  that  it  is  be- 
yond the  reach  of  fear.'' 

Hope  is  the  lighthouse  which  sheds  its  rays  upon  the 
ocean  of  life — the  rainbow  in  the  cloud  of  trouble — the 


132  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

ruddy  ray  of  morning — the  blossom  upon  the  tree   of 
promise. 

"  Hope  is  like  the  cork  in  the  net,  which  keeps  the 
soul  from  sinking  in  despair;  and  fear  is  like  the  lead  to 
the  net,  which  keeps  it  from  floating  in  presumption." — 
Watson. 

Hope  is  a  pleasant  companion,  but  an  unsafe  guide. 

Hope  is  like  the  sun  which,  as  we  journey  towards  it, 
casts  the  shadow  of  our  burdens  behind  us. 

"  How  many  indulge  in  a  hope,  which  they  dare  not 
examine. ' ' — Nevins. 

Well-grounded  hope,  like  the  Glastonbury  thorn, 
blossoms  in  the  depth  of  winter.  It  is  like  money  out 
at  interest,  which  is  continually  augmenting;  while  false 
hope  is  like  stock,  the  capital  of  which  is  being  continu- 
ally invaded,  until  the  last  pound  is  ready  to  be  con- 
sumed. 

Faith  and  hope. — "Faith  comes  by  hearing;  hope  by 
experience.  Faith  believeth  the  truth  of  the  word; 
hope  waits  for  its  fulfilment.  Faith  lays  hold  of  that 
end  of  the  promise,  that  is  fastened  to  the  mercy-seat. 
Thus  faith  and  hope  get  hold  of  both  ends  of  the  pro- 
mise, and  carry  all  away.  Faith  fights  for  doctrine; 
hope  for  a  reward.  Faith  for  what  is  in  the  Bible ;  hope 
for  what  is  in  heaven.  Faith  purifies  the  heart  from  bad 
principles ;  hope  from  bad  manners.  Faith  sets  hope  to 
work;  hope  sets  patience  to  work.  Doth  not  all  this 
make  the  heart  twitter  after  the  mercy  that  is  in  God?" 
— Bunyan. 

False  hope. — ''As  a  man  that  is  in  a  pleasant  sleep, 
dreams  that  he  is  a  king,  hath  loyal  and  obedient  sub- 
jects about  him,  a  large  revenue,  with  a  treasury  full  of 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  133 

gold  and  silver,  yet  when  he  awakes,  behold  the  man  ia 
a  verj  beggar,  and  hath  nothing;  *  *  *  hs  *  * 
or  like  the  man  that  is  asleep  upon  the  mast  of  a  ship, 
he  is  in  a  golden  dream,  and  his  thoughts  are  all  upon 
kingdoms,  and  thousands  which  he  seemeth  to  have  al- 
ready in  possession;  but  happily,  or  rather  unhappily, 
in  that  very  moment,  wherein  he  solaceth  himself  in 
his  imaginary  happiness,  a  storm  ariseth,  the  ship  is  in 
danger  to  be  overwhelmed,  and  the  man  is  tumbled  into 
the  sea,  and  so  drowned.  Thus  it  is  with  many  men  and 
women,  they  nourish  golden  dreams  and  have  very  strong 
hopes  that  heaven  is  theirs,  and  Christ  is  theirs,  when, 
alas,  they  do  extremely  befool  themselves,  being  all  this 
while  upon  the  very  brink  of  hell,  and  so  are  tumbled  in 
before  they  be  aware." — Spencer, 

No  CLOUD  can  overshadow  the  Christian,  but  hope  can 
see  a  rainbow  in  it. 

The  bird  on  the  mast. — "A  sailing  vessel  was 
driving  before  the  hurricane — a  white  bird  suddenly  de- 
scended on  the  mast:  the  hearts  of  the  crew  were 
cheered, — hope  dawned!  ....  Such  consolation. 
mai/  be  always  mine !  One  bright,  holy,  faithful  thought 
is  mi/  dove  upon  the  mast.  However  sadly  I  toss  over 
the  waves  of  this  troublesome  weary  world,  that  gentle 
Bird  of  Paradise  revives  and  strengthens  me.  It  tells 
me  that  the  storm  will  soon  be  over  and  gone,  and  the 
green  land  with  the  singing  of  the  birds  is  come." — 
Wilmott. 

Alexander. — It  is  recorded  of  him  that  when  distri- 
buting the  spoil  of  one  of  his  victories,  he  gave  all 
away,  keeping  no   portion  as   his   share.     One  of  hia 

12 


134  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

soldiers  asked  him  what  he  reserved  for  himself?  The 
monarch  answered — Hope. 

Knox. — "Hast  thou  hope?"  they  asked  of  John 
Knox,  when  he  lay  a  dying.  He  spoke  nothing,  but 
raised  his  finger  and  pointed  upwards,  and  so  died. — 
Carlyle. 

The  world  dare  take  for  its  device  no  more  than  dum 
spiro  spero,  but  the  children  of  God  go  further, — dum 
expiro  spero. 

HUMAN  NATURE  OF  CHRIST. 

Sinless. — Like  the  crystal  glass  of  fresh  pure  water 
from  the  fountain ;  be  it  never  so  much  shaken,  there  are 
no  dregs  to  be  found. 

"What  king  would  be  willing  to  wear  sackcloth  over 
his  cloth  of  gold?  but  Christ  did  not  disdain  to  take  our 
flesh." — Watson. 

"In  the  creation  man  was  made  in  God's  image;  in 
the  Incarnation,  God  was  made  in  man's  image." — 
Watson. 

"  G.  R.  was  once  wondering  how  it  was  that  the  Lord 
waited  so  long  before  he  began  his  public  ministry,  till 
he  was  thirty,  when  he  was  evidently  fit  for  it  at  twelve. 
Then  it  occurred  to  him  that  Christ's  humanity  was  to  be 
perfectly  natural,  and  that  if  he  had  entered  upon  it 
sooner,  the  Jews  would  have  made  a  handle  of  it,  and 
said  that  it  was  not  human ;  therefore  he  waited  till  his 
manhood  was  in  its  acknowledged  prime.  Also,  would 
not  this  have  been  greatly  abused  by  precocious  people 
afterwards?" — The  Victory  Won. 

Universal  in  its  scope,  yet  individual  in  its  sym- 
pathy.— "  His  bosom  was  to  mankind  what  the  ocean  is 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  135 

to  the  world.  The  ocean  has  its  own  mighty  tide,  but  it 
receives  and  responds  to,  in  exact  proportion,  the  tidal 
influence  of  every  estuary  and  river  and  small  creek 
which  pour  into  its  bosom;  so  in  Christ, — his  bosom 
heaved  with  the  tide  of  our  humanity ;  but  every  spiritual 
sorrow  and  pain  and  joy  gives  its  pulsations,  and  receives 
back  influences  from  the  sea  of  his  being." — Robertson. 

Its  double  aspect. — "  Christ  completely  altered  the 
character  of  the  world's  heroism.  Before  Christ  came, 
the  world  had  always  admired  and  glorified  the  sterner 
virtues  of  wisdom,  courage,  strength,  valor;  but  Christ 
introduced  a  new  system.  'Blessed  are  the  poor  in 
spirit.'  'Blesse'd  are  the  pure  in  heart.'  'Blessed'  are 
the  mourners,  the  humble,  the  persecuted !  The  gentle 
passions  were  those  he  chiefly  blessed.  .  .  .  And 
though  this  has  been  abused  by  the  Church  of  Rome,  in 
their  worship  of  a  woman,  to  whom  such  passions  seemed 
more  to  belong, — the  Gospels,  the  more  they  are  studied, 
bring  out  the  deep  tenderness  and  sympathy  of  Christ's 
human  heart.  Christ  had  both  the  manly  brain  and  the 
womanly  heart.  In  him,  both  were  blended,  and  there- 
fore he  is  the  pattern  man,  the  perfect  example  of  hu- 
manity." 

A  little  boy,  between  four  and  five  years  of  age, 
was  one  day  reading  to  his  mother  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment ;  and  when  he  came  to  these  words,  ''  The  foxes 
have  holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  have  nests,  but  the 
Son  of  man  hath  not  where  to  lay  his  head,"  his  eyes 
filled  with  tears,  and  with  a  child's  unrestrained  gush  of 
feeling,  he  said  to  his  mother,  "  I  am  sure,  mamma,  if  I 
had  been  there  I  would  have  given  him  my  pillow." 


136  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHEEINGS. 

HUMILIATION 

— is  the  very  opposite  of  the  pride  of  the  natural 
heart, — the  opposite  of  the  mock  humility  of  the  hypo- 
crite, the  opposite  of  the  temporary  "sorrow  of  the 
world."  It  is  the  deep  sense  of  the  soul's  nothingness 
before  God,  the  keen  feeling  of  the  evil  of  sin  in  all  its 
guilt  and  aggravation,  the  awe  of  love,  the  meltings  of 
a  pardoned  child,  the  silence  of  the  soul  before  God. 

—  "Broken-hearted  confidence  —  we  want  no 
other." — J.  H.  Evans. 

"  The  tear  that  the  broken-hearted  sinner  sheds  at 
the  cross  of  Christ  hath  more  of  the  element  of  happi- 
ness in  it  than  all  the  laughter  of  a  scornful  world ;  even 
the  dark  side  of  our  Lord's  hill  hath  more  of  brightness 
in  it,  than  the  brightness  of  ten  thousand  worlds." — 
J.  H.  Evans. 

"  God  lays  the  foundation  of  a  great  work  in  deep 
humiliation^" — J.  H.  Evans. 

He  doth  truly  bewail  the  sins  he  hath  committed,  who 
resists  the  sins  he  hath  bewailed. 

That  which  humbles  us  is  always  for  our  good. 

It  IS  greatly  to  be  feared  that  those  persons  never 
mourned  for  their  own  sins  who  can  rejoice  at  other 
people's. 

"  You  lie  nearest  to  the  river  of  life  when  you  bend 
to  it.     You  cannot  drink  but  as  you  stoop.'' — Evans. 

Though  the  Lord  never  remembers  the  sins  of  believ- 
ers to  their  condemnation,  believers  themselves  will  re- 
member them  to  their  humiliation. 

When  the  Christian  (says  an  old  Divine)  has  reason 
to  believe  that  God  has  forgiven  his  sins,  he  sometimes 
finds  it  exceedingly  difficult  to  forgive  himself. 


ILLUSTllATIVE    GATHERINGS.  137 

"  True  repentance  has  a  double  aspect ;  it  looks 
upon  things  past  with  a  weeping  eye ;  and  upon  the  future 
with  a  watchful  eye." — South. 

'    "  Sorrow  is  sin's  echo,  and  as  the  echo  answers  the*^ 
voice  best  where  there  are  broken  walls  and  ruined  build- 
ings to  return  it,  so  is  sorrow  when  reverberated  by  a 
broken,  ruined  heart.     That  eye  weeps  most  that  looks 
often  est  at  the  Sun  of  Righteousness." — Philip  Henry. 

"  Christian  affections  are  like  Mary's  precious 
ointment  poured  on  Christ's  head,  that  filled  the  whole 
house  with  a  sweet  odor.  That  was  poured  out  of  an 
alabaster  box ;  so  gracious  afi'ections  flow  out  to  Christ 
out  of  a  pure  heart.  That  was  poured  out  of  a  broken 
box  (until  the  box  was  broken  the  ointment  could  not 
flow  nor  difiuse  its  odor),  so  gracious  affections  flow  out 
of  a  broken  heart." — Jonathan  Edwards. 

The  vally  of  humiliation  in  Bunyan's  Pilgrim's 
Progress,  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  pictures  to  be  found 
of  Christian's  experience,  in  his  inimitable  work.  It  lay 
beyond  the  house  Beautiful,  at  the  base  of  the  hill  Diffi- 
culty, and  the  descent  into  it  was  steep  and  rugged. 
But  how  beautiful  is  Great  Heart's  description  of  it  to 
Christiana  and  her  company.  Hear  what  he  says  of  it: 
— "  It  is  the  best  and  most  fruitful  piece  of  ground  in  all 
these  parts.  It  is  fat  ground ;  and,  as  you  see,  consist- 
eth  much  in  meadows  ;  and  if  a  man  was  to  come  here 
in  the  summer  time,  as  we  do  now,  if  he  knew  not  any- 
thing thereof  before,  and  if  he  also  delighteth  himself 
in  the  sight  of  his  eyes,  he  might  see  that  which  would 
be  delightful  to  him.  Behold  how  green  this  valley  is ; 
also  how  beautified  with  lilies.  I  have  known  many 
laboring  men  that  have  got  good  estates  in  this  valley  of 
12  * 


138  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

humiliation ;  for  ^  God  resisteth  the  proud,  but  giveth 
grace  unto  the  humble.'  Indeed,  it  is  a  very  fruitful 
soil,  and  bringeth  forth  by  handfuls.  Some  also  have 
wished  that  the  next  way  to  their  Father's  house  were 
here,  that  they  might  be  troubled  no  more  with  either 
hills  or  mountains  to  go  over ;  but  the  way  is  the  way, 
and  there  is  an  end.  In  this  valley  our  lord  formerly 
had  his  country-house ;  he  loved  much  to  be  here ;  he 
loved  also  to  walk  these  meadows,  for  he  found  the  air 
was  pleasant.  Besides,  here  a  man  shall  be  free  from 
the  noise  and  confusion,  only  the  valley  of  Humiliation 
is  that  empty  and  solitary  place.  Here  a  man  shall  not 
be  so  let  and  hindered  in  his  contemplation,  as  in  other 
places  he  is  apt  to  be.  This  is  a  valley  that  nobody 
walks  in  but  those  that  love  a  pilgrim's  life.  And  though 
Christian  had  the  hard  hap  to  meet  here  with  Apollyon, 
and  to  enter  with  him  in  a  brisk  encounter,  yet  I  must 
tell  you,  that  in  former  times  men  have  met  with  angels 
here,  have  found  pearls  here,  and  have  in  this  place  found 
the  words  of  life.  Did  I  say  our  Lord  had  here  in  former 
days  his  country-house,  and  that  he  loved  here  to  walk  ? 
I  will  add,  in  this  place  and  to  the  people,  that  love  and 
trace  these  grounds,  he  has  left  a  yearly  revenue,  to  be 
faithfully  paid  them  at  certain  seasons  for  their  mainte- 
nance by  the  way,  and  for  their  further  encouragement 
to  go  on  in  their  pilgrimage." 

The  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt. — It  is  recorded  in  his 
Biography,  that  when  a  boy,  his  attention  was  arrested 
by  the  petition  in  the  Litany,  Pitifully  behold  the  sorrows 
of  our  hearts.''  He  was  wondering  what  sorrows  he  had 
to  speak  of,  when  t!  e  next  petition  furnished  an  answer, 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  139 

which  the  Holy  Spirit  taught  him  to  apply, — "  Mercifully 
forgive  the  sins  of  thy  people.'' 

IDOLATRY— SPIRITUAL. 

— ''  Idolatry  is  not  only  an  accounting  or  worshiping 
that  for  God,  which  is  not  God ;  hut  it  is  also  a  worship- 
ing the  true  God,  in  any  way  unsuitable  to  his  nature." 
— South. 

Origin  of. — "  Idolatry  has  its  origin  in  the  depravity 
of  the  human  heart ;  men  love  sin  and  do  not  want  to  be 
reproved  for  it ;  therefore,  they  form  for  themselves  a  god 
that  will  not  reprove  them.  They  w^ant  to  sin  with  im- 
punity, and  do  not  like  a  holy  God." — J.  H.  Evans. 

Punishment  of. — '^  In  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  the 
Lord  permits  us  to  drink  out  our  own  idol ; — that  is,  he 
permits  a  cause  to  work  out  its  own  effects." — (Exod. 
xxxii.  20.)  J.  H.  Evans. 

"  If  we  look  upon  the  world  as  a  musical  instrument, 
well-tuned  and  harmoniously  struck ;  we  ought  not  to 
worship  the  instrument,  but  the  being  that  makes  the 
music. ' ' — Stilling  fleet. 

"  Alas  !  when  Jesus  is  holding  out  everything  to  allure 
my  heart  to  himself,  how  often  do  I  receive  the  gift  into 
my  soul  as  an  idol,  and  instead  of  its  increasing  my  love 
to  the  giver  I  rob  him  of  what  he  had  before,  to  lavish 
it  on  the  gift.  Oh,  my  Lord,  if  kindness  cannot  draw 
my  heart  towards  Thee,  drive  it,  compel  it,  to  come  into 
the  ark." — Helen  Plumptre. 

Sit  loose. — "A  thorn  I  know  there  must  be  in  every 
nest,  and  the  closer  I  nestle,  the  sooner  I  shall  find  it. 
Those  of  course  feel  it  least  who  sit  loosest,  or  stand  on 


140  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

the  edge  of  their  nest,  pluming  their  wings  for  flight." — 
Helen  Plumptre. 

"  God  is  frequently  sparing  in  his  gifts,  because  the 
tendency  of  the  heart  is  to  rejoice  in  the  gift  till  it  uncon- 
sciously usurps  the  place  of  the  giver.  Jonah  might  have 
been  glad  of  his  gourd ;  that  would  have  been  right,  be- 
cause it  was  God's  gift ;  but  he  was  exceeding  glad  of  it : 
the  same  night  God  sent  a  worm  and  withered  it  at  the 
loots." — Rev.  F.  Whitfield. 

A  PARABLE  FROM  NATURE. — "  I  have  a  comely  fruit 
tree  in  the  summer  season,  with  the  branches  of  it  pro- 
mising plenteous  fruit;  the  stock  was  surrounded  with 
seven  or  eight  little  shoots  of  different  sizes,  that  grew 
up  from  the  root  at  a  small  distance,  and  seemed  to  com- 
pose a  beautiful  defence  and  ornament  for  the  mother 
tree;  but  the  gardener,  who  espied  their  growth,  knew 
the  danger ;  he  cut  down  these  tender  suckers  one  after 
another,  and  laid  them  in  the  dust.  I  pitied  them  in 
my  heart,  and  said,  ^  How  pretty  were  those  young 
standards !  how  much  like  their  parent !  how  elegantly 
clothed  with  the  raiment  of  summer !  And  each  of 
them  might  have  grown  to  a  fruitful  tree.'  But  they 
stood  so  near  as  to  endanger  the  stock ;  they  drew  away 
the  sap,  the  heart  and  strength  of  it,  so  far  as  to  injure 
the  fruit  and  darken  the  hopeful  prospect  of  autumn. 
The  pruning-knife  appeared  unkind  indeed,  but  the  gar- 
dener was  wise,  for  the  tree  flourished  more  sensibly,  the 
fruit  quickly  grew  fair  and  large,  and  the  ingathering  at 
last  was  plenteous  and  joyful." — Dr.  Watts. 

INDECISION. 

"Half  a  leap  is  a  fall  into  the  ditch." 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  141 

In"  RELIGION. — How  imminent  is  the  peril  of  the 
wavering  !  Then  indecision  becomes  gradually  decision ; 
men  are  deciding  for  hell,  while  they  are  wavering  about 
heaven.  The  Rev.  Hugh  Stowell  has  well  illustrated 
the  value  of  every  moment  of  grace  by  a  story  published 
some  years  ago.  A  poor  man,  on  one  of  the  rocky  coasts 
of  our  country,  went  out  one  morning  to  his  usual  occu- 
pation of  gathering  sea-fowl  eggs.  Looking  down  a 
terrific  steep,  he  saw  a  ledge  abutting  from  the  rock, 
with  a  cluster  of  birds'  nests.  He  fastened  his  rope  to 
a  tree  above  the  cliff,  and  lowered  himself  cautiously 
down,  till  he  stood  upon  the  ledge.  In  his  eagerness  to 
grasp  the  spoil,  he  unwittingly  dropped  the  noose  of  the 
rope  by  which  he  had  descended,  and  it  swung  as  it 
appeared  far  beyond  his  reach ;  and  there  he  stood  on 
that  narrow  ledg^e ;  above  him,  a  fearful  height  he  had 
no  hope  to  scale ;  below  him  a  terrific  precipice,  with  the 
sea  dashing  at  its  base.  It  was  a  moment  of  unutterable 
anguish.  In  intensity  of  dismay,  by  a  desperate  effort 
he  sprang  upward.  It  pleased  God  he  should  grasp  the 
rope.  He  drew  himself  up  to  the  summit,  trembling 
with  transport  and  terror.  Every  one  of  us  can  realize 
the  peril  of  that  fellow-creature.  But  how  akin  to  this, 
but  intensely  more  .awful,  thecondition  of  every  waverer ! 
He  stands  on  the  narrow  ledge  of  life ;  above  him,  is  the 
terrific  mountain  of  his  guilt,  that  he  has  no  power  in 
himself  to  scale ;  below  him  is  the  fearful  abyss  of  death, 
the  death  that  never  dies.  There  is  but  the  breath  in 
his  nostrils  between  him  and  the  bottomless  pit.  0 
dwake,  fellow-sinner,  awake  to  thy  true  and  perilous 
position  !  It  is  late,  but  not  too  late.  There  is  yet  the 
rope  that  hangs  from  the  cross  of  Jesus,  or  rather  from 


142  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

the  throne  of  God  ;  that  rope  can  lift  thee  over  the  mount 
of  thy  guilt,  and  land  thee  on  the  brink  of  the  shore  of 
eternal  safety  and  peace. 

The  moment  missed. — During  a  violent  storm,  a 
trading  vessel  was  wrecked  on  the  west  coast  of  England. 
Many  of  the  crew  perished,  but  the.  captain  and  his  wife 
were  providentially  enabled  to  reach  a  rock,  and  climbing 
up,  escaped  from  the  waves.  But  the  danger  was  not 
over.  The  tide  was  rising,  the  cold  intense ;  and  it  soon 
became  evident  that  unless  assistance  were  quickly  ren- 
dered, they  must  perish.  Happily,  they  were  seen  from 
the  neighboring  shore,  and  a  boat  was  sent  to  attempt 
their  rescue.  As  the  boat  could  not  possibly  come  close 
to  the  rock,  the  only  alternative  was  to  project  a  rope 
from  the  shore  by  a  rocket,  and  then  to  haul  them  through 
the  surf  within  reach  of  the  boat.  After  many  fruitless 
attempts  this  succeeded,  and  then  the  only  way  of 
deliverance  was  by  springing  into  the  wave,  at  the 
moment  of  its  highest  swell,  and  being  borne  over  the 
danger  and  pulled  into  the  boat.  The  wife  was  the  first 
to  make  the  attempt,  and  was  told  what  to  do.  All  was 
ready.  The  big  wave  swells  full  at  her  feet.  "  Now, 
now,"  shouted  the  crew,  "  spring  into  the  wave."  Alas  ! 
she  trembled,  hesitated,  delayed  only  a  moment,  but  that 
moment  was  fatal.  She  leaped  towards  the  receding 
wave,  fell  upon  the  rugged  rocks  beneath,  and  the  next 
moment  was  dragged  on  board  a  mangled,  lifeless  corpse. 
The  captain,  ignorant  of  her  hopeless  fate,  followed,  and 
taking  the  wave  at  the  swell,  was  saved. 

On  the  night  of  the  Holmfirth  flood,  which  caused 
BO  much  distress  some  few  years  ago,  a  man  stood  on  the 
banks  of  the  reservoir,  who  saw  the  water  rising  to  a 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  143 

dangerous  height.  He  paced  up  and  down  for  twenty 
minutes,  watching,  hesitating,  and  asking  himself,  Shall 
I  give  the  alarm  ?  The  fatal  moment,  however,  came, 
the  warning  had  not  been  given ;  the  waters  burst  o^er 
the  banks,  and  spread  destruction  on  every  hand ;  and 
yet  decision  twenty  minutes  before  would  have  saved 
many  precious  human  lives  and  many  thousand  pounds' 
worth  of  property. 

INFLUENCE 

— may  be  compared  to  invisible  reins. 

As  a  little  silvery  circular  ripple  set  in  motion  by  the 
falling  pebble,  expands  from  its  inch  of  radius,  further 
and  further  on  the  pool ;  so  there  is  not  a  child,  a  youth, 
a  feeble,  humble  Christian  who  may  not  cause  a  gentle 
wave  on  the  pool  of  life,  and  exercise  some  influence, 
however  small,  upon  the  world. 

"  The  power  of  gentleness  is  irresistible,"  was  a  favor- 
ite saying  of  Henry  Martin. 

"  Power,  so  long  as  it  is  lawful,  is,  whether  great  or 
small,  a  noble  and  glorious  thing;  and  'power,'  says 
Foster,  'to  its  very  last  particle,  is  duty." — Hetty  Bow- 
man. 

"  One  pound  of  gold  may  be  drawn  into  a  wire  that 
would  extend  round  the  globe.  So  one  good  deed  may 
be  felt  through  all  time,  and  cast  its  influence  into  eter- 
nity. Though  done  in  the  flush  of  youth,  it  may  gild 
the  last  hours  of  a  long  life,  and  form  the  brightest  spot 
in  it.  '  Work  while  it  is  day.  The  night  cometh.' " — 
Christian  Treasury. 

Diogenes. — "  It  is  not  position  that  gives  influence, 
it  is  character.     What  men  are,  determines  their  power 


144  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

over  others ;  not  where  they  are  themselves,  nor  the 
places  they  stand  in.  When  Diogenes  had  been  cap* 
tured  by  pirates,  and  was  about  to  be  sold  as  a  slave  into 
Ctete,  he  pointed  to  a  Corinthian  'very  carefully  dressed,' 
saying,  '  Sell  me  to  that  man  ;  he  wants  a  master  !'  His 
wish  was  granted  him ;  and  the  event  demonstrated  his 
sagacity.  Character  overcame  position ;  that  man  bought 
a  master  in  buying  Diogenes  !" 

All  have  influence. — "Do  not  say  you  have  no 
influence.  All  have  some.  A  gentleman  lecturing  in 
the  neighborhood  of  London  said : 

"  ^Everybody  has  influence,  even  that  child,'  pointing 
to  a  little  girl  in  her  father's  arms. 
"  '  That's  true  !'  cried  the  man. 

"  At  the  close  he  said  to  the  lecturer,  '  I  beg  your 
pardon,  sir,  but  I  could  not  help  speaking.  I  was  a 
drunkard ;  but  as  I  did  not  like  to  go  to  the  public- 
houses  alone,  I  used  to  carry  this  child.  As  I  approached 
the  public-house  one  night,  hearing  a  great  noise  inside, 
she  said, 

'  Don't  go,  father  !' 

'  Hold  your  tongue,  child.' 

'  Please,  father,  don't  go  !' 

'  Hold  your  tongue,  I  say.' 

'  Presently  I  felt  a  big  tear  fall  on  my  cheek.  I 
could  not  go  a  step  further,  sir.  I  turned  round  and 
went  home,  and  have  never  been  in  a  public-house 
since,  thank  God  for  it.  I  am  now  a  happy  man,  sir, 
and  this  little  girl  has  done  it  all ;  and  when  you  said 
that  even  she  had  influence,  I  could  not  help  saying, 
That's  true,  sir.'     All  have  influence." — Bev.  N.  Hall, 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.      .  145 

INGRATITUDE. 

"  What  unthankfulness  is  it  to  forget  our  consolations, 
and  to  look  only  upon  matters  of  grievance ;  to  think 
so  much  upon  two  or  three  crosses,  as  to  forget  a  hun- 
dred blessings." — Sihhes. 

"  Truly  when  I  consider  how  the  goodness  of  God  is 
abused  and  perverted  by  the  greatest  part  of  mankind, 
I  cannot  but  be  of  his  mind  that  said,  '  Maximum  mirac- 
ulum,  est  Dei  patientia  et  munificentia,' — the  greatest 
miracle  in  the  world  is  God's  patience  and  bounty  to  an 

ungrateful  world Oh !   what  would  God  not 

do  for  his  creature  if  thankful,  that  thus  heaps  the  coals 
of  his  mercies  upon  the  heads  of  his  enemies  ?  But 
think  not,  sinners,  that  you  shall  escape  thus;  God's 
mill  goes  slow^,  but  it  grinds  small ;  the  more  admirable 
his  patience  and  bounty  now  is,  the  more  dreadful  and 
insupportable  will  that  fury  be  which  ariseth  out  of  his 
abused  goodness.  Nothing  blunter  than  iron,  yet  when 
sharpened,  it  hath  an  edge  that  will  cut  mortally.  Noth- 
ing smoother  than  the  sea,  yet  when  stirred  into  a  tem- 
pest nothing  rageth  more.  Nothing  so  sweet  as  the  pa- 
tience and  goodness  of  God,  and  nothing  so  terrible  as 
his  wrath  when  it  takes  fire." — Crurnall. 

"  One  ungrateful  man  does  an  injury,  to  all  who  stand 
in  need  of  aid." — Puhlius  Syrius. 

''Ingratitude  is  treason  to  mankind." — Thomson. 

Those  who  will  not  thank  God  for  his  mercies  on 
earth,  need  not  expect  to  share  his  blessings  in  heaven. 

Rivers,  receiving  their  fulness  from  the  ocean,  pay 
their  tribute  by  returning  their  stream  into  it  back 
again;  which  homage,  if  they  should  deny  to  yield, 
their  swelling  waters  would  bear  down  their  own  banks 

13 


146  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

.  and  drown  tlie  country.  So  we,  receiving  from  the 
ocean  of  all  goodness  whatsoever  blessings  we  enjoy,  if 
we  render  not  back  the  tribute  of  praise  and  gratitude, 
we  break  down  the  banks  of  modesty  and  humility,  and 
make  all  the  better  parts  of  our  nature  hurtful  and  per- 
nicious. 

Mrs.  Hannah  More  has  truly  said,  "  It  is  well  for 
us  sometimes  to  meet  with  instances  of  ingratitude ;  to 
let  us  into  a  discovery  of  our  motives  in  giving,  and 
to  remind  us  of  our  own  vileness  with  regard  to  God ; 
for  what  is  the  ingratitude  of  the  worst  of  our  fellow- 
creatures  towards  us,  compared  with  our  ingratitude  to- 
wards him?" 

"  He  who  receives  a  good  turn  should  never  forget 
it;  and  he  who  does  one  should  not  remember  it." — 
Charron. 

INTERCESSION  OF  CHRIST. 

"  Coming  to  the  throne  of  grace  in  Christ's  name," 
says  Traill,  "is  another  thing  than  commonly  men  take 
it  to  be.  Some  think  it  is  only  to  say  in  their  prayers 
^for  Christ's  sake.'  But,  to  ask  in  his  name  is  a  higher 
business  than  to  be  reached  by  unbelievers  and  men  de- 
void of  the  Spirit  of  God." — 1  Cor.  xii.  3. 

'^He,"  says  Ambrose,  "is  our  mouth,  with  which  we 
address  the  father ;  our  eye,  by  which  we  behold  him ; 
our  hand,  by  which  we  present  ourselves  to  him ;  without 
whose  mediation  neither  we,  nor  any  of  all  the  saints, 
have  the  least  intercourse  with  God." 

When  poor  men  make  requests  to  us,  we  usually  an- 
swer them  as  the  echo  does  the  voice ;  the  answer  cuts 
off  half  the  petition But  God's  answer  to  our 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  147 

prayers,  when  offered  through  Christ,  is  like  a  multiply- 
ing glass,  which  renders  the  request  much  quicker  in  the 
answer,  than  it  was  in  the  petition.  The  trumpet  ex- 
ceedingly strengthens  the  voice  which  passes  through  it ; 
it  may  be  a  feeble  breath  as  it  comes  from  the  speaker's 
lips,  but  it  goes  forth  with  increased  and  growing  vigor ; 
so  our  prayers  offered  through  the  mediation  of  Christ, 
however  feeble  in  themselves,  sound  in  the  ears  of  God 
with  power,  because  of  the  channel  through  which  he 
hears  them. 

"  If  there  be  a  garment  that  is  laid  with  gold-lace, 
hung  or  stuck  full  of  pearls ;  though  the  cloth  of  the 
garment  be  not  worth  much ;  yet  because  of  the  gold- 
lace  and  the  pearls  that  are  upon  it,  you  count  it  very 
precious.  Such  are  our  duties ;  the  cloth  of  our  duty 
is  not  much  worth  ;  but  because  of  the  golden  lace,  and 
the  pearls  of  the  graces  of  Jesus  Christ,  they  are  very 
precious.  It  is  not  in  regard  of  our  duties,  as  in  regard 
of  our  flowers  or  posies :  let  a  flower  or  posie  be  never 
so  sweet,  they  receive  not  any  of  the  sweetness  from  the 
bosom  that  it  sticks  in  ;  the  posie  does  sweeten  the  bosom, 
but  the  bosom  does  not  sweeten  the  posie.  Aye,  but 
now  the  duty  that  is  stuck  in  the  bosom  of  Jesus  Christ 
is  sweetened  by  the  bosom,  by  the  bosom  that  it  sticks 
in." — Wm.  Bridge. 

INTERCESSORY  PRAYER. 

"  '  If  two  agree  on  earth,'  says  Christ,  Matt,  xviii. 
19 ;  the  word  is  aofifcovvjacoacVy  that  is,  if  they  harmo- 
niously agree  to  play  the  same  tune ;  for  prayers  are 
music  in  God's  ears,  and  so  called  ^melody  to  God,'  Eph. 
V.  19.     It  is  not  simply  their  agreeing  in  the  thing  prayed 


148  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHEEINGS. 

for,  but  in  the  affections ;  for  it  is  the  affections  that 
make  the  concert  and  the  melody.  Now  if  the  same 
holy  affections  were  touched  and  struck  by  God's  Spirit 
in  thy  heart,  as  in  theirs,  then  thou  doest  help  to  make 
up  the  concert,  and  without  thee  it  would  have  been  im- 
perfect ;  yea,  without  thee,  the  thing  might  not  have 
been  done,  for  God  stands  sometimes  upon  such  a  num- 
ber of  voices,  and  one  voice  casts  it ;  as  when  he  named 
ten  righteous  persons  to  save  Sodom.  When,  therefore, 
the  same  holy  motions  and  affections  affected  thee  in  thy 
prayer,  which  did  them  in  theirs,  it  was  the  work  of  the 
same  Spirit  in  them  and  thee,  and  God  hath  heard  thee." 
— G-oodlvin. 

"Now-A-DAYS  we  have  many  hedge-breakers,  few 
hedge-makers ;  many  openers  of  gaps,  few  stoppers ; 
many  makers  of  breaches  to  let  in  the  flood  of  God's 
wrath  upon  us,  but  very  few  to  make  up  the  breach,  and 
let  down  the  sluices,  that  the  gushing  stream  of  God's 
vengeance  may  be  stayed." — Arthur  Dent. 

It  was  the  beautiful  thought  of  a  pious  Christian  ex- 
pressed in  prayer  to  God,  "  Wherever  we  can  send  a 
thought,  thou  canst  send  a  blessing." 

Revivals  of  religion  have  begun  by  intercessory 
prayer  in  the  Church.  Dr.  Franklin  hits  the  truth  when 
he  says,  "  Kindle  the  dry  sticks,  and  the  green  ones  will 
catch." 

Luther. — How  little  most  Christians  know  of  the 
power  and  confidence  in  prayer  the  great  champion  had ! 
*'At  the  time  the  diet  of  Nuremburg  was  held,"  says 
Tholuck,  "Luther  was  earnestly  praying  in  his  own 
dwelling ;  and  at  the  very  hour  when  the  edict  granting 
free  toleration  to  all  Protestants  was  issued,  he  ran  out 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  149 

of  his  house,  crying  out,  '  We  have  gained  the  victory  /' 
Do  you  understand  that?" 

Miss  Mary  Jane  Graham  writes  to  a  Christian 
friend', — "I  beseech  you  earnestly  to  seek  the  com- 
munion of  saints.  This  is  the  only  progress  I  have  made 
in  the  divine  life.  I  have  received  as  a  most  precious 
and  unmerited  gift,  the  power  of  feeling  the  things  of 
the  flock  of  Christ,  as  if  they  were  my  own.  You  can- 
not imagine  the  happiness  of  this  feeling.  I  dedicate  an 
hour  every  evening  to  prayer,  and  principally  to  inter- 
cession. I  generally  begin  with  the  thanks  due  to  God 
for  having  made  himself  known  to  us,  as  our  Father,  for 
all  that  he  has  done  for  every  one  of  his  sheep  on  that 
day.  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  tell  you,  the  great 
delight  of  thus  mixing  myself  up  with  the  people  of 
Christ,  and  of  considering  their  benefits  as  my  own.  The 
thought  which  transports  me  the  most,  is  that  of  how 
many  souls  have  been  perhaps  this  day  joined  to  the 
Church  !  how  many  succored  under  temptation,  how  many 
recovered  from  their  backslidings  !  how  maL\-  filled  with 
consolation  !  how  many  transported  by  death  into  the 
bosom  of  Christ!  I  then  try  to  pray  for  that  sweet  'we,' 
and  to  think  of  the  necessities  of  my  Christian  friends. 
Besides,  I  have  a  list  of  unconverted  persons,  for  whom 
I  wish  to  pray." 

Dr.  Bacchus. — When  Dr.  Bacchus  (the  President  of 
Hamilton  college)  was  upon  his  death-bed,  the  doctor 
called  to  see  him,  and  after  examining  the  symptoms, 
left  the  room  without  speaking,  but  as  he  opened  the 
door  to  go  out,  was  observed  to  whisper  something  to 
the  servant.  "  What  did  the  physician  say  to  you  ?" 
asked  Dr.  B.  "  He  said,  sir,  that  you  cannot  live  to 
13  ■« 


150  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

exceed  half  an  hour."  "Is  it  so?"  said  the  good  man, 
"  then  take  me  out  of  my  bed,  and  place  me  upon  my 
knees ;  let  me  spend  that  time  in  calling  upon  God  for 
the  salvation  of  the  world."  His  request  was  complied 
with,  and  his  last  moments  were  spent  in  breathing  forth 
his  prayers  for  the  salvation  of  his  fellow-sinners;  he 
died  upon  his  knees. 

Dr.  Judson. — In  giving  an  account  of  the  closing 
scenes  of  her  husband,  Mrs.  Judson  mentions  the  follow- 
ing particulars.  "About  this  time  he  began  to  find 
unusual  satisfaction  and  enjoyment  in  his  private  devo- 
tions ;  and  seemed  to  have  new  objects  of  interest  con- 
tinually rising  in  his  mind,  each  of  which  in  turn  became 
a  special  subject  of  prayer.  Among  these,  one  of  the 
most  prominent  was  the  conversion  of  his  posterity.  He 
remarked  that  he  had  always  prayed  for  his  children, 
but  that  of  late  he  had  felt  impressed  with  the  duty  of 
praying  for  their  children,  and  their  children's  children 
down  to  the  latest  generation.  He  also  prayed  most 
fervently  that  his  impressions  on  this  particular  subject 
might  be  transferred  to  his  sons  and  daughters,  and  thence 
to  their  offspring,  so  that  he  should  ultimately  meet  a 
long  unbroken  line  of  descendants  before  the  throne  of 
God,  where  all  might  join  together  in  ascribing  praises 
to  their  Redeemer." 

Sandeman. — It  is  recorded  in  his  Life,  that  whilst 
staying  at  Matlock,  he  heard  of  much  good  being  done, 
and  amongst  other  cases,  the  conversion  of  an  old  woman, 
born  again  at  85 ;  her  son  had  been  praying  for  her  for 
35  years. — Col.  iv.  2. 

ScoTT  (the  Commentator),  when  dying,  spoke  to  those 
around  him  of  the  wonderful  way  in  which  his  prayers 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  151 

for  others  had  been  answered.  He  thought  he  had  failed 
less  in  the  duty  of  intercession  than  in  any  other.  Those 
who  know  the  history  of  his  family,  can  bear  witness  to 
the  gracious  answers  which  have  been  vouchsafed  to  such 
earnest  and  continued  prayers. 

"We  have  regular  prayer-meetings,"  said  a  good 
man,  "  of  two  members,  my  wife  and  myself.  Sometimes 
we  are  joined  by  a  relative,  or  a  familiar  friend,  but  we 
are  more  often  by  ourselves ;  but  we  come  within  the 
promise,  ^  Where  two  or  three,'  &c." 

JEWS,  THE. 

"A  NATION  that  living  shall  die,  and  dying  shall  live; 
that  trampled  by  all,  shall  trample  upon  all ;  that  bleed- 
ing from  a  thousand  wounds,  shall  be  unhurt ;  that  beg- 
gared, shall  wield  the  wealth  of  nations ;  that  without  a 
name,  shall  sway  the  councils  of  kings ;  that  without  a 
city,  shall  inhabit  in  all  kingdoms ;  that  scattered  like 
the  dust,  shall  be  bound  together  like  the  rock ;  that 
perishing  by  the  sword,  by  the  chain,  by  famine,  by  fire, 
shall  be  imperishable,  unnumbered,  glorious  as  the  stars 
of  heaven." — Dr.  Croly. 

"  Palestine  itself,  at  this  moment,  seems  almost  over- 
spread by  the  curse.  Its  cities  are  the  cities  of  the  dead ; 
its  every  acre  is  covered  with  the  tombs  of  departed  ages ; 
it  has  a  soil  fit  to  grow  corn,  that  would  positively  crowd 
and  overflow  all  the  granaries  of  the  world ;  but  it  cannot 
provide  corn  enough  to  feed  its  miserable,  its  starved  and 
wretched  peasantry.  At  this  very  moment  there  is  no 
Mount  Nebo,  or  Mount  Pisgah,  from  which  a  successor 
of  Moses  can  see  a  goodly  land  overflowing  with  milk 
and  honey.     On  every  part  of  that  land  the  iron  hoof 


152  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

of  the  Arab  steed,  and  the  naked  foot  of  the  papal  monk, 
have  trod  in  succession,  and  warred  for  supremacy.  In 
rapid  succession  the  Roman,  the  Persian,  the  Arab,  the 
Turk,  the  robber,  have  taken  possession  of  Palestine ; 
and  the  poor  Jew — the  fig-tree  blasted — has  a  home  any- 
where and  everywhere,  but  least  a  home  in  his  own 
home ;  has  possessions  everywhere,  but  none  in  that  land, 
which  is  held  by  title-deeds  more  lasting  than  those  of 
the  aristocracy  of  England;  his  title-deeds  are  in  Ezekiel, 
in  Jeremiah,  in  Isaiah,  in  the  Psalms,  and  must  last  and 
live  forever  and  ever.  You  have  then  in  the  Jew, 
wherever  you  find  ,him,  a  blasted  fig-tree,  a  miracle- 
stricken  nation;  a  people  scathed  by  a  curse  which 
cleaves  to  them  and  consumes  them ;  the  people  of  the 
weary  foot,  the  exiles  of  the  earth ;  in  it,  and  not  of  it, 
as  if  their  very  existence  was  a  symbol  of  what  God's 
people  should  be — in  the  world,  and  not  of  the  world." 
— Br.  Gumming. 

Like  the  gulf  stream;  which  flows  from  America  to 
our  Western  shores ;  distinct  from  the  ocean  in  color  and 
warmth,  yet  flowing  through  it. 

Like  globules  of  quicksilver. — "  The  Jews  have 
been  sprinkled  like  millions  of  globules  of  quicksilver 
over  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  world ;  every  deep 
reflecting  bright  beams  from  the  past,  and  mirroring 
forth  the  morning  of  a  glorious  future." — Br.  Cum- 
ming. 

A  STANDING  MIRACLE. — "  The  present  physical,  moral, 
social  condition  of  the  Jews  must  be  a  miracle.  We  can 
come  to  no  other  conclusion.  Had  they  continued  from 
the  commencement  of  the  Christian  era  down  to  the 
present  hour,  in  some  such  state  as  that  in  which  we  find 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  153 

the  Chinese,  walled  off  from  the  rest  of  the  human  family, 
and  by  their  selfishness  on  a  national  scale,  and  their 
repulsion  of  alien  enemies,  resisting  every  assault  from 
without  in  the  shape  of  hostile  invasion ;  and  from  an 
overpowering  national  pride,  forbidding  the  introduction 
of  new  and  foreign  customs ;  we  should  not  see  so  much 
miracle  interwoven  with  their  existence.  But  this  is  not 
their  state ;  far  from  it.  They  are  neither  a  united  and 
independent  nation,  nor  a  parasitic  province.  They  are 
peeled  and  scattered  into  fragments;  but  like  broken 
globules  of  quicksilver,  instinct  with  a  cohesive  power, 
ever  claiming  affinity,  and  ever  ready  to  amalgamate. 
Geography,  arms,  genius,  politics,  and  foreign  help,  do 
not  explain  their  existence ;  time  and  climate  and  cus- 
toms equally  fail  to  unravel  it.  None  of  these  are  or 
can  be  the  springs  of  their  perpetuity.  They  have  been 
spread  over  every  part  of  the  habitable  globe ;  have  lived 
under  the  reign  of  every  dynasty ;  they  have  shared  the 
protection  of  just  laws,  the  oppression  of  cruel  ones,  and 
witnessed  the  rise  and  progress  of  both ;  they  have  used 
every  tongue,  and  have  lived  in  every  latitude.  The 
snows  of  Lapland  have  chilled,  and  the  suns  of  Africa 
have  scorched  them.  They  have  drunk  of  the  Tiber,  the 
Thames,  the  Jordan,  the  Mississippi.  In  every  country, 
and  in  every  degree  of  latitude  and  longitude,  we  find  a 
Jew.  It  is  not  so  with  any  other  race.  Empires,  the 
most  illustrious,  have  fallen,  and  buried  the  men  that 
constructed  them ;  but  the  Jew  has  lived  among  the 
ruins,  a  living  monument  of  indestructibility.  Perse- 
cution has  unsheathed  the  sword  and  lighted  the  faggot, 
papal  superstition  and  moslem  barbarism  have  smitten 
them  with  unsparing  ferocity;  penal  rescripts  and  deep 


154  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

prejudice  have  visited  on  them  most  unrighteous  chastise- 
ment; and  notwithstanding  all,  they  survive." — Fraser% 
Magazine. 

It  IS  A  SINGULAR  FACT  revealed  in  the  last  census  of 
the  United  States,  that  "  while  there  are  many  thousands 
of  Jews  in  the  country,  only  one  person  who  is  a  Jew  is 
registered  as  a  farmer.  So  literally  is  the  decree  of  their 
dispersion  fulfilled,  that  they  are  strangers  to  that  occu- 
pation which,  above  all  others,  implies  a  resting-place 
and  a  home.  '  For  lo,  I  will  command,  and  I  will  sift 
the  house  of  Israel  among  all  nations.'  The  Jews  are 
traders,  not  attached  to  the  soil  where  they  are  found, 
but  ready  on  an  instant  to  change  their  abode." — 
Pacific, 

Lord  Rochester  lived  a  long  while  in  infidelity,  but 
there  was  one  argument  in  favor  of  Christianity,  he  con- 
fessed he  could  never  set  aside,  viz.,  the  existing  state 
and  circumstances  of  the  Jewish  nation. 

A  Christian  daughter. — A  touching  story  is  told 
in  Todd's  Simple  Sketches,  of  a  Jew  who  was  brought 
to  acknowledge  Christ,  through  the  influence  of  his 
daughter.  It  was  given  him  by  an  old  and  highly  re- 
spectable clergyman,  with  whom  he  met  when  traveling 
in  the  West  of  Virginia.  The  narrative  was  to  this 
eifect : 

The  clergyman  was  one  day  preaching  to  a  large  and 
attentive  congregation,  when  his  attention  was  arrested 
by  seeing  a  man  enter,  having  every  appearance  of  being 
a  Jew.  He  was  well  dressed,  and  his  countenance  was 
noble,  though  it  was  evident  his  heart  had  lately  been  fhe 
habitation  of  sorrow.  He  took  his  seat  and  was  all  at- 
tention, while  an  unconscious  tear  was  often  seen  to  wet 


•ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  155 

his  manly  cheek.  After  service,  the  clergyman  fixed  his 
eye  steadily  upon  him,  and  the  stranger  reciprocated  the 
look.  A  deeply  interesting  conversation  then  ensued, 
when  the  Jew  (for  such  he  was)  gave  the  minister  his 
touching  history. 

He  was  a  respectable  and  educated  man,  lately  come 
from  London,  and  with  his  books,  his  riches,  and  a  lovely 
daughter  of  seventeen,  had  lately  found  a  charming 
retreat  on  the  fertile  banks  of  the  Ohio.  He  had  buried 
the  companion  of  his  youth  before  he  left  Europe,  and 
his  whole  pleasure  was  now  centred  upon  his  endeared 
child.  She  was  indeed  worthy  of  a  parent's  love. 
Beautiful  by  nature  and  educated  by  art,  no  wonder  her 
charms  struck  every  beholder.  Being  a  strict  Jew  him- 
self, she  had  been  brought  up  in  the  strictest  principles 
of  her  father's  faith.  But  "  he  builds  too  low,  who  builds 
below  the  skies."  Not  long  before  the  time  of  this  nar- 
rative, the  daughter  was  taken  sick,  and  the  sickness 
proved  to  be  "  unto  death."  Her  eye  lost  its  lustre,  and 
the  rose  faded  from  her  cheek,  and  though  everything 
was  done  which  medical  skill  could  do,  her  frame  grew 
weaker  and  weaker,  and  the  afflicted  father  saw  her  daily 
fading  before  his  eyes. 

One  day  he  went  into  her  room,  to  talk  to  her,  expect- 
ing to  take  a  last  farewell.  She  held  out  to  him  her 
wasted  hand.  "Father,  do  you  love  me?"  "My  child, 
you  know  that  I  love  you ;  that  you  are  dearer  to  me 
than  all  the  world  beside."  "But,  father,  do  you  love 
me?"  "Why,  my  child,  will  you  give  me  pain  so  ex- 
quisite? have  I  never  given  you  any  proofs  of  my  love?" 
"  But,  my  dearest  father,  do  you  love  me?"  The  father 
could  not  answer.     She  added,  "  I  know,  my  dear  father, 


156  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

that  you  have  ever  loved  me,  that  you  have  been  the 
kindest  of  parents,  and  I  tenderly  love  you.  Will  you 
grant  me  one  request  ?  Oh,  my  father,  it  is  the  dying 
request  of  your  daughter;  will  you  grant  it?"  "My 
dearest  child,  ask  what  you  will,  though  it  take  all  of  my 
property,  whatever  it  may  be,  it  shall  be  granted.  I  will 
grant  it."  "My  dear  father,  I  beg  you  never  again  to 
speak  against  Jesus  of  Nazareth  !" 

The  father  was  dumb  with  astonishment.  "  I  know," 
continued  the  dying  girl,  "  I  know  but  little  about  this 
Jesus,  for  I  w^as  never  taught.  But  I  know  that  he  is  a 
Saviour,  for  he  has  manifested  himself  to  me  since  I  have 
been  sick,  even  for  the  salvation  of  my  soul.  I  believe 
he  will  save  me,  although  I  have  never  before  loved  him; 
I  feel  that  I  am  going  to  him — that  I  shall  ever  be  with 
him.  And  now,  my  dear  father,  do  not  deny  me.  I  beg 
you  will  never  again  speak  against  this  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth !  I  entreat  you  to  obtain  a  Testament  that  tells  of 
him ;  and  I  pray  that  you  may  know  him,  and  when  I  am 
no  more,  you  may  bestow  on  him  the  love  that  was  for- 
merly mine."  The  exertion  overcame  the  weakness  of  her 
feeble  body.  She  ceased  ;  and  the  father's  heart  was  too 
full  even  for  tears.  He  left  the  room  in  great  horror  of 
mind,  and  ere  he  could  summon  sufficient  fortitude  to  re- 
turn, the  spirit  of  his  accomplished  daughter  had  taken 
its  flight,  as  I  trust  to  that  Saviour  whom  she  loved  and 
honored,  without  seeing  or  knowing.  The  first  thing  the 
parent  did  after  committing  to  the  earth  his  last  earthly 
joy,  was  to  procure  a  New  Testament.  This  he  read  ; 
and,  taught  by  the  Spirit  from  above,  is  now  numbered 
among  the  meek  and  humble  followers  of  the  Lamb. 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  157 

JOY,  SPIRITUAL. 

"In  this  world  full  often  our  joys  are  only  the  tender 
Bhadows  which  our  sorrows  cast." — BeecJier, 

"  There  is  a  natural  joy  over  spiritual  things,  and  I 
pray  you  not  to  deceive  your  souls  with  it." — J.  H, 
Evans. 

"  Remember  thp  wneel  is  always  in  motion,  and  the 
spoke  which  is  uppermost  will  soon  be  under ;  therefore 
mix  trembling  with  all  your  joy." — Philip  Henry. 

As  sunshine  seems  brightest  after  rain,  and  calm  is 
most  welcome  after  storm ;  as  pearls  are  fetched  from 
deep  waters,  and  gold  is  dug  from  deep  mines ;  so  joy  is 
never  so  welcome  as  after  sorrow  ;  the  truest  joy  is  that 
poured  into  a  broken  heart. 

"  Rejoice  with  trembling." — It  has  been  well  said 
that  when  the  sails  of  our  hearts  are  filled  with  happiest 
winds,  we  most  need  some  heaviness  to  ballast  us. 

"  I  believe  we  often  lose  deep  joys,  because  we  are 
afraid  of  deep  sorrows.''— Doing  and  Suffering. 

Easily  lost. — "If  our  hearts  are  ever  refreshed  with 
spiritual  delights,  we  should  be  as  cautious  of  an  uncall- 
ed-for advance  into  the  world,  as  of  exposing  an  invalid's 
susceptible  frame  to  a  damp  or  unhealthy  atmosphere. 
Whatever  warmth  has  been  kindled  in  spiritual  duties, 
may  be  chilled  by  one  moment's  unwary  rush  into  an  un- 
kindly clime." — Salter. 

The  joy  of  the  world  is  "false,  precarious,  and  short. 
From  without,  it  may  be  gathered,  but  like  gathered 
flowers,  though  fair  and  sweet  for  a  season,  it  must  soon 
wither  and  become  offensive.  Joy  from  within,  is  like 
smelling  the  rose  on  the  tree,  it  is  more  sweet  and  fair ; 
and,  I  must  add,  it  is  immortal." — Salter. 
u 


158  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

"  Joy  is  the  happiness  of  love.  It  is  love  exulting. 
It  is  love  aware  of  its  own  felicity,  and  resting  in  riches, 
which  it  has  no  fear  of  exhausting.  It  is  love  taking  a 
view  of  its  treasures,  and  surrendering  itself  to  bliss 
without  foreboding." — Rev.  J.  Hamilton. 

"True,  here  we  have  not  always  full  joy;  but  as 
Joseph's  brethren,  when  he  dismissed  them,  had  pro- 
vision given  them  for  the  way,  but  their  full  sacks  were 
tied  up  till  they  reached  home ;  so  we  have  now  enough 
comfort  for  our  pilgrimage,  and  when  we  reach  our 
Father's  house,  we  shall  have  all  we  can  desire,  even 
^  fulness  of  joy,'  and  *  pleasures  for  evermore.'  " — Bishop 
Sanderson. 

A  PRESENT  BLESSING. — "The  farthest  that  any  of 
the  philosophers  went  in  the  discovery  of  blessedness, 
was  but  to  come  to  that,  to  pronounce  that  no  man  could 
be  called  blessed  before  his  death ;  not  that  they  had 
found  what  kind  of  better  blessedness  they  went  to  after 
death,  but  that  still,  till  death,  they  were  sure  every  man 
was  subject  to  new  miseries  and  interruptions  of  any- 
thing which  they  could  call  blessedness.  The  Christian 
philosophy  goes  farther ;  it  shows  us  a  perfecter  bless- 
edness than  any  conceived  for  the  next  life  also ;  the 
pure  in  heart  are  blessed  already,  not  only  comparatively, 
that  they  are  in  a  better  way  of  blessedness  than  others 
are,  but  actually  in  a  present  possession  of  it ;  for  this 
world  and  the  next  world  are  not  to  the  pure  in  heart 
two  houses,  but  two  rooms,  a  gallery  to  pass  through, 
and  a  lodging  to  rest  in,  in  the  same  house,  whieh  are 
both  under  one  roof,  Christ  Jesus.  So  the  joy  and  the 
sense  of  salvation  which  the  pure  in  heart  have  here,  is 
not  a  joy  severed  from  the  joy  of  heaven,  but  a  joy  that 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  159 

begins  in  us  here,  and  continues  and  accompanies  us 
thither,  and  there  flows  on,  and  dilates  itself  to  an  infi- 
nite expansion." — Dr.  Donne. 

Philpot. — It  was  a  good  saying  of  his,  "  Believe  me, 
there  is  no  such  joy  in  the  world,  as  the  people  of  God 
have  under  the  cross." 

Rev.  C.  Simeon. — In  his  last  illness,  some  of  his 
dying  sayings  were,  "I  don't  think  now ;  I  am  enjoying ; 
I  cannot  have  more  peace.  I  seem  to  have  nothing  to 
do  but  to  wait.  There  is  now  nothing  but  peace^  the 
sweetest  peace.'' 

True  comfort  in  suffering. — "I  was  called  upon," 
siys  the  Rev.  W.  Trefit,  an  American  minister,  ''some 
years  ago  to  visit  an  individual,  a  part  of  whose  face 
had  been  eaten  away  by  a  most  loathsome  cancer.  Fix- 
ing my  eyes  on  this  man  in  his  agony,  I  said,  '  Supposing 
that  Almighty  God  were  to  give  you  your  choice,  whether 
would  you  prefer  your  cancer,  your  pain  and  your  suffer- 
ings, with  a  certainty  of  death  before  you,  but  of  im- 
mortality hereafter ;  or  health,  prosperity,  long  life  in 
the  world,  and  the  risk  of  losing  your  immortal  soul  V 
*  Ah,  sir,'  said  the  man,  'give  me  the  cancer,  the  pain, 
the  Bible,  the  hope  of  heaven,  and  others  may  take  the 
world,  long  life,  and  prosperity !'  " 

JUSTICE  AND  MERCY. 

"I  GO  to  God,  with  the  door  of  justice  shut !  Who 
shut  it  ?  Immanuel !  God  in  my  nature ;  and  sealed  it 
with  his  blood.  God  has  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and 
put  the  receipt  into  the  hands  of  every  one  who  believes 
in  Jesus." — J.  H.  Evans. 

"The  very  perfection  of  God  which  seemed  to 


IGO  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

close  the  door,  is  the  very  perfection  that  opens  it  to  a 
poor  sinner  coming  through  Jesus." — J.  H.  Evans. 

"  We  want  all  his  advocacy — not  the  advocacy  of 
pity — but  that  of  the  Advocate  who  pleads  on  the  ground 
of  law  and  justice y — J.  H.  Evans. 

''Justice  is  the  activity  of  God's  holiness." — J.  H, 
Evans. 

"  A  HOLY  God  can  no  more  evince  his  mercy  at  the 
expense  of  his  justice,  than  he  can  deny  his  own  being. 
For  if  God  gives  a  law,  and  annexes  not  penalty  to  the 
breach  of  that  law ;  if  he  punishes  not  the  transgressor, 
but  passes  by  the  breach ;  if  he  condemns  not  the  trans- 
gressor, he  condemns  himself,  and  virtually  declares  his 
law  unjust.'' — J.  H.  Evans. 

"  When  God  appointed  a  surety,  his  Son,  and  charged 
our  debts  upon  him  to  satisfy  his  justice ;  in  that  God 
would  not  spare  his  Son  the  least  degree  of  punishment ; 
hereby  the  Lord  shows  a  stronger  love  of  justice,  than 
if  he  had  damned  ten  thousand  thousand  creatures. 
Suppose  a  malefactor  comes  before  a  judge,  he  will  not 
spare  the  malefactor,  but  commands  satisfaction  to  the 
law.  This  shows  that  the  judge  loves  justice.  But  if 
the  judge's  own  son  be  a  delinquent,  and  it  appears  be- 
fore the  whole  country,  that  the  judge  will  not  spare 
him ;  the  judge  now  doth  more  honor  justice  in  this, 
than  in  condemning  a  thousand  others.  So  w:hen  the 
Lord  shall  cast  many  thousands  into  hell,  there  to  be 
tormented  throughout  eternity,  it  shows  that  God  loves 
justice ;  but  when  his  own  Son  shall  take  our  sins  upon 
him,  and  he  will  not  spare  him,  this  surely  declares  God's 
love  to  righteousness  more  than  if  all  the  world  should 
be  damned." — Ambrose. 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERING  S.  161 

Like  two  streams  which  unite  their  separate  waters 
to  form  a  common  river,  justice  and  mercj  are  combined 
in  the  work  of  redemption.  Like  the  two  cherubims 
whose  wings  met  above  the  ark  ;  like  the  two  devout  and 
holy  men  who  drew  the  nails  from  Christ's  body,  and 
bore  it  to  the  grave ;  like  the  two  angels  who  received  it 
in  charge,  and,  seated  like  mourners  within  the  sepul- 
chre, the  one  at  the  head,  the  other  at  the  feet,  kept 
silent  watch  over  the  precious  treasure;  justice  and 
mercy  are  associated  in  the  work  of  Christ.  They  are 
the  supporters  of  the  shield  on  which  the  cross  is  em- 
blazoned ;  they  sustain  the  arms  of  our  heavenly  Advo- 
cate ;  they  form  the  two  solid  and  eternal  pillars  of  the 
Mediator's  throne.  On  Calvary  mercy  and  truth  meet 
together,  righteousness  and  peace  embrace  each  other." 
— Dr.  Crutlirie, 

JUSTIFICATION. 

Though  faith  justifies  us,  yet  works  most  justify  our 
faith. 

"  We  are  not  justified  by  believing  in  Christ,  but  by 
Christ  believed  in ;  as  a  man  is  not  healed  by  the  apply- 
ing of  a  plaster,  but  by  the  plaster  applied.  Faith  is 
not  our  righteousness,  but  our  righteousness  is  by  faith." 
—  Venning. 

"The  faith  that  justifies  is  the  faith  that  purifies ; 
the  blood  that  justifies  is  the  blood  that  sanctifies." — J. 
H.  Evans. 

"  The  lowest  true  faith  will  do  its  work  safely, 

though  not  so   sweetly.     A  little  faith  gives  a  whole 

Christ ;   he  that  hath  the  lowest  faith,  hath  as  true  an 

interest  in  the  righteousness  of  Christ/  as  the  most  stead- 

14  * 


162  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

fast  believer.  Others  may  be  more  Holy  than  he,  but 
not  one  in  the  world  more  righteous  than  he ;  for  he  is 
righteous  with  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  He  cannot 
but  be  low  in  sanctification,  for  a  little  faith  will  bring 
forth  but  little  or  low  obedience ;  if  the  root  be  weak, 
the  fruit  will  not  be  great ;  but  he  is  beneath  none  in 
justification.  The  most  imperfect  faith  will  give  present 
justification,  because  it  interests  the  soul  in  a  present 
Christ :  the  lowest  degree  of  true  faith  gives  the  highest 
completeness  of  righteousness.  You  who  have  but  a 
weak  faith,  have  yet  a  strong  Christ;  so  that,  though 
all  the  world  should  set  itself  against  your  little  faith, 
it  should  not  prevail :  sin  cannot  do  it,  Satan  cannot  do 
it,  hell  cannot  do  it ;  though  you  take  but  weak  and  faint 
hold  on  Christ,  he  takes  sure,  strong,  and  unconquerable 
hold  on  you.  Have  you  not  often  wondered,  that  this 
spark  of  heavenly  fire  should  be  kept  alive  in  the  midst 
of  the  sea  ?  It  is  everlasting,  a  spark  that  cannot  be 
quenched,  a  drop  of  that  fountain  that  can  never  be 
dried  up." — Owen. 

"He  gave  his  Son  a  ransom  for  us;  the  holy  for 
transgressors ;  the  innocent  for  the  nocent ;  the  just  for 
the  unjust;  the  incorruptible  for  the  corrupt;  the  im- 
mortal for  mortals.  For  what  else  could  hide  or  cover 
our  sins  but  his  righteousness  ?  In  whom  else  could  the 
wicked  or  ungodly  ones  be  justified  or  esteemed  righteous, 
but  in  the  Son  of  God  alone?  0  sweet  permutation  or 
change!  0  unsearchable  work  or  curious  operation! 
0  blessed  beneficence,  exceeding  all  expectation!  That 
the  iniquity  of  many  should  be  hid  in  one  just  one, 
and  the  righteousness  of  one  should  justify  many  trans- 
gressors."— Justin  Martyr^ 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHEHINGS.  163 

"When  a  prince  strikes  oiF  a  malefactor's  chains, 
though  he  delivers  him  from  punishment  of  his  crimes,  he 
frees  him  not  from  the  duty  of  a  subject.  His  pardon  adds 
a  greater  obligation  than  his  protection  did." — Charnock. 

"Mr.  Lyeord,  a  puritan  divine,  a  few  days  previous 
to  his  dissolution,  being  desired  by  his  friends  to  give 
them  some  account  of  his  hopes  and  comforts,  he  replied, 
*I  will  let  you  know  how  it  is  with  me,  and  on  what 
ground  I  stand.  Here  is  the  grave,  the  wrath  of  God, 
and  devouring  flames,  the  great  punishment  of  sin,  on  the 
one  hand ;  and  here  am  I,  a  poor  sinful  creature,  on  the 
other;  but  this  is  my  comfort,  the  covenant  of  grace  es- 
tablished upon  so  many  sure  promises,  hath  satisfied  all. 
The  act  of  oblivion  passed  in  heaven  is,  'I  will  forgive 
their  iniquities,  and  their  sins  will  I  remember  no  more, 
saith  the  Lord.'  This  is  the  blessed  privilege  of  all 
within  the  covenant,  of  whom  I  am  one.  For  I  find  the 
Spirit  which  is  promised,  bestowed  upon  me,  in  the 
blessed  effects  of  it  upon  my  soul,  as  the  pledge  of 
God's  eternal  love.  By  this  I  know  my  interest  in  Christ, 
who  is  the  foundation  of  the  covenant ;  and  therefore  my 
sins,  being  laid  on  him,  shall  never  be  charged  on  me.'  " 
— CJieevers  Anecdotes. 

KING.— CHRIST  A 

"If  Christ  were  not  an  Almighty  Saviour,  the  legions 
of  sin  and  the  legions  of  devils  would  block  up  the 
avenue  to  heaven,  and  force  the  strongest  of  believers 
into  every  possible  distress  and  ruin." — Serle. 

"The  Lord,  like  a  most  bountiful  and  magnificent 
king,  will  be  angry  if  any  man  will  ask  a  small  thing  at 
his  hands;  because  (such  is  his  magnificence)  he  had 


164  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATIIERINGS. 

rather  give  things  of  great  worth  than  of  small  value. 
His  goodness  is  infinite." — Gabriel  Powell. 

"  It  is  far  worse  to  despise  a  Saviour  in  his  robes 
than  to  crucify  him  in  his  rags.  An  affront  is  more 
criminal  to  a  prince  upon  his  throne  than  when  he  is  dis- 
guised as  a  subject,  and  masked  in  the  clothes  of  his  ser- 
vant. •  Christ  is  entered  into  glory  after  his  sufferings; 
all  who  are  his  enemies  must  enter  into  misery  after  their 
prosperity,  .  .  .  and  whosoever  will  not  be  ruled  by  his 
golden  sceptre,  shall  be  crushed  by  his  rod." — Qharnock, 

"He  must  reign." — It  has  often  been  said  of  Ed- 
ward, the  Black  Prince,  that  he  never  fought  a  battle 
which  he  did  not  win ;  and  of  the  great  Duke  of  Marl- 
boro', that  he  never  besieged  a  city  that  he  did  not  take. 
Shall  that  be  said  of  men,  which  we  deny  concerning  the 
Most  High  God  ?  Is  he  less  successful  than  some  human 
generals  ?  Shall  these  invincibly  prevail,  and  grace  be 
liable  to  defeat?     Impossible! 

Christ's  grace. — The  former  of  these  having  con- 
quered and  taken  prisoner  King  John  of  France,  nobly 
condescended  to  wait  on  his  royal  captive  the  same  night 
at  supper.  Christ  having  first  subdued  his  people  by  his 
grace,  waits  on  them  afterwards  to  the  end  of  their  lives. 
—  Whitecross's  Anecdotes. 

"His  enemies  shall  be  made  his  footstool." — 
The  Roman  Emperor  Julian,  a  determined  enemy  of 
Christianity,  was  mortally  wounded  in  a  war  with  the 
Persians.  In  this  condition,  we  are  told  that  he  filled 
his  hand  with  blood,  and  casting  it  into  the  air,  said, 
*0  Galilean!  thou  hast  conquered.'  " 

Latimer — Preaching  one  day  before  Henry  YIII.,  he 
stood  up  in  the  pulpit,  and  seeing  the  King,  addressed 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  165 

himself  in  a  kind  of  soliloquy,  thus,  "Latimer,  Latimer, 
Latimer,  take  care  of  what  you  say,  for  the  great  King 
Henry  YIII.  is  here;" — then  he  paused,  and  proceeded 
— "Latimer,  Latimer,  Latimer,  take  care  what  you  say, 
for  the  great  King  of  kings  is  here." 

Hewitson. — The  Rev.  J).  Sandeman  said  of  him,  — 
"  As  a  spiritual  man  his  company  was  very  refreshing. 
He  realized  much  of  the  privileges  of  that  believer. 
Love  was  his  favorite  theme.,  'Rejoice  evermore,'  one 
of  his  mottoes.  He  realized  much  the  kingship  of  Christ. 
He  was  full  of  love  to  Christ,  love  to  souls  and  zeal  car- 
rying him  out  in  abundant  labors." 

KNOWLEDGE. 

Knowledge  is  to  the  mind  what  air  is  to  the  lungs; 
it  is  not  every  kind  of  air  that  is  wholesome  and  innox- 
ious ;  the  atmosphere  may  be  loaded  with  poison. 

"Unsanctified  knowledge,"  says  Charnock,  "is  the 
devil's  greatest  tool."  Sanctified  knowledge  is  the  Holy 
Spirit's  greatest  helper.  "It  carries  the  torch  before 
faith;  it  opens  the  door  of  eternity  to  hope;  it  presents 
love  with  a  perfectly  beautiful  object;  it  furnishes  joy 
with  its  sweetest  melodies;  it  supplies  patience  with  the 
strongest  motives,  and  resignation  with  the  noblest  pat- 
terns." 

"Head  knowledge  is  our  own,  and  can  polish  only 
the  outside;  heart  knowledge  is  the  Spirit's  work,  and 
makes  all  glorious  within." — T.  Adams. 

"Knowledge  and  good  parts,  managed  by  grace,  are 
like  the  rod  in  Moses'  hand,  wonder-workers ;  but  turn 
to  serpents  when  they  are  cast  upon  the  ground,  and  em- 
ployed in  promoting  wicked  designs."^ Arrow  smith. 


166  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

"  The  wisdom  of  the  flesh  is  enmity  against  God. 
He  that  calleth  it  so,  found  it  to  be  so  indeed  in  his  own 
experience;  for  Paul  was  nowhere  more  opposed  than  in 
Greece,  the  eye  of  the  world;  more  derided  than  at 
Athens,  the  eye  of  Greece." — Arrow  smith. 

"They  that  know  most,  are  most  often  cheated." — 
Turkish  proverb. 

"Sharp  wits,  like  sharp  knives,  do  often  cut  their 
owner's  fingers." — Arrow  smith. 

"  The  French  have  a  berry  which  they  call  uve  d* 
epine,  the  grape  of  a  thorn.  The  common  knowledge 
of  Christ  is  the  pearl  in  the  toad's  head — the  grape  that 
grows  upon  thorns;  it  may  be  found  in  men  unsanctified." 
— Mead. 

"  Those  who  know  God's  will,  and  do  it  not,  do  but 
carry  a  torch  with  them  to  hell,  to  fire  the  pile  that  must 
forever  burn  them." — Hopkins. 

Speculative  knowledge  may  be  compared  to  the 
light  of  the  moon  in  the  depth  of  winter,  when  the  earth 
is  bound  up  by  the  frost  and  covered  with  snow ;  it  is  as 
cold,  as  clear;  as  barren,  as  beautiful.  Experimental 
spiritual  knowledge  resembles  the  summer  sun  shining  in 
its  strength,  shedding  clear  light,  genial  warmth,  and  ad- 
vancing in  strength  and  power  until  the  perfect  day. 

The  difference  between  believers  and  unbelievers  is 
not  so  much  in  the  extent,  as  in  the  manner  of  their 
knowledge.  An  unbeliever  may  know  more,  and  be  able 
to  talk  more  of  Divine  things  than  many  believers,  but 
he  knows  nothing  spiritually  and  savingly,  with  a  holy, 
heavenly  light.  A  believer  may  comprehend  less,  but  he 
apprehends  more. 

"  If  you  desire  knowledge  only  to  know,  it  is  curiosity; 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERIIS  iS.  167 

if  to  be  known,  it  is  vanity  ;  but  to  edify,  it  is  cliarity ; 
or  that  you  may  be  edified,  it  is  wisdom,''- — Palmer. 

"  If  you  have  knowledge,  let  others  light  their  candles 
at  it."— r.  Fuller. 

"We  know  in  part." — Mr.  Ward,  the  Indian  Mis- 
sionary, used  to  tell  a  story  of  a  Brahmin,  who  was 
asked  if  the  various  views  of  Christians  about  their  own 
religion,  did  not  lead  hin^  to  doubt  its  Divine  origin. 
He  replied,  "Not  at  all.  Hear,  my  brother.  There 
was^  once  a  city  of  which  all  the  inhabitants  had  lost  their 
sight — they  were  blind.  It  was  one  day  rumored  that  a 
magnificent  elephant  was  to  pass  through  their  streets, 
and  as  none  of  the  people  had  ever  seen  an  elephant,  all 
rushed  down  to  examine  it,  and  pressed  close  for  free 
inquiry.  One  felt  his  leg,  another  his  trunk,  another  his 
tail,  one  his  ears,  and  one  his  tusk,  till  they  were  satis- 
fied. The  elephant  went  his  way,  and  they  returned 
home.  Many  were  obliged  to  be  content  with  the  reports 
of  the  more  fortunate.  After  a  time,  the  various  visitors 
of  the  gigantic  animal  began  to  converse  about  him,  and 
to  describe  to  others  what  they  had  observed ;  but  all 
their  evidence  seemed  contradictory,  since  each  bore 
testimony  only  to  the  particular  member  with  which  he 
had  come  in  contact,  and  each  denied  what  his  brother 
attested.  Disputes  were  running  very  high,  when  a  wise 
old  Brahmin  interposed,  and  said,  '  My  dear  brothers, 
forbear,  I  beseech  you.  All  those  to  w^hom  you  have 
listened  are  right,  and  all  are  wrong.  You  each  know  a 
little,  and  only  a  little  of  the  great  creature  concerning 
which  you  would  be  informed.  Now  instead  of  disput- 
ing, put  together  all  you  have  heard,  combine  the  difi"er- 
ent   testimonies   you   have  received,  arid   by  so    doing 


168  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

you  may  best  hope  to  gain  some  idea  of  the  whole.'  " — 
Mrs.  Schimmelpeninch. 

"  Learning,  in  religious  persons,  like  the  gold  that 
was  in  the  Israelites'  ear-rings,  is  a  most  precious  orna- 
ment ;  but  if  men  pervert  it  to  base  ends,  or  begin  to 
make  an  idol  of  it  (as  they  did  a  golden  calf  of  their 
ear-rings),  it  then  becomes  an  abomination." — Salter. 

Speculative  and  exper^ental. — "Look  upon  a 
common  beggar,  he  knows  the  road-way  from  place  to 
place,  can  tell  you  the  distance  from  town  to  town ;  i;ay, 
more,  can  inform  you  of  such  a  nobleman's,  such  a 
knight's,  such  a  gentleman's  house,  though  it  stands  a 
great  way  oiF  from  the  road ;  of  such  a  farmer's,  and 
such  a  yeoman's  house,  though  it  be  in  ever  so  obscure  a 
village.  Yet  all  this  while  he  hath  no  settled  home,  no 
abiding-place  of  his  own.  Such  is  the  knowledge  of 
every  Christian,  except  a  true  Christian;  he  can  tell 
you  of  the  pleasures  that  are  at  the  right  hand  of  God 
in  the  highest  heavens ;  can  talk  and  prate  of  God,  dis- 
course of  goodness,  but  all  the  while  is  not  good  himself, 
nor  can  make  out  unto  himself  any  assurance  of  interest 
in  those  heavenly  things  which  he  so  much  talketh  of." — 
Spencer. 

"You    KNOW   AS   MUCH   AS   IS    GOOD   FOR   YOU,    for    it 

is  with  the  mind  as  it  is  with  the  senses.  A  greater  de- 
gree of  hearing  would  incommode  us  ;  and  a  nicer  degree 
of  seeing  would  terrify  us.  If  our  eyes  could  see  things 
microscopically,  we  should  be  afraid  to  move.  Thus  our 
knowledge  is  suited  to  our  situation  and  our  circum- 
Btances.  Were  we  informed  more  fully  beforehand  of 
the  good  things  prepared  for  us  by  Providence,  from  that 
moment  we  should  cease  to  enjoy  the  good  things  we 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  169 

possess,  become  indifferent  to  present  duties,  and  be  filled 
with  restless  impatience.  Or  suppose  the  things  fore- 
known were  gloomy  and  adverse,  what  dismay  and  de- 
spondency would  be  the  consequence  of  the  discovery ; 
and  how  many  times  should  we  suffer  in  imagination  what 
we  now  only  endure  once  in  reality  !  Who  would  wish 
to  draw  back  a  veil  which  saves  them  from  so  many  dis- 
quietudes? If  some  of  you  had  formerly  known  the 
troubles  through  which  you  have  since  waded,  you  would 
have  fainted  under  the  prospect.  But  what  we  know 
not  now,  we  shall  know  hereafter." — Jacob  Abbott. 

"•  Take  a  blinI*  man,  set  him  in  a  clear  night  with 
his  face  upon  the  moon  when  it  shines,  when  all  the  stars 
are  sparkling  round  about,  yet  he  sees  nothing  of  the 
brightness  of  the  one,  or  twinkling  of  the  other,  only 
some  glimmerings ;  or  he  perceives  some  kind  of  reflex 
upon  him,  whereby  he  concludes  that  the  moon  is  up,  and 
that  the  stars  show  themselves.  Then  take  a  man  in 
possession  of  his  eye-sight,  and  he  discovers  all,  he  walks 
all  over  the  sky,  from  star  to  star,  from  one  constellation 
to  another,  he  is  able  to  give  account  of  all.  Thus  take 
the  natural  man,  set  him  in  the  midst  of  the  ordinances ; 
let  the  administration  be  ever  so  pure,  the  dispensations 
never  so  clear,  he  sees  nothing  of  God,  but  as  it  were 
through  chinks  and  crannies  of  nature;  some  glimpse 
and  glimmer  only  of  Divine  light.  Oh,  but  the  child 
of  God  having  the  perspective  glasses  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, he  walks  from  star  to  star :  faith,  hope,  and  charity 
shine  out;  he  passes  from  one  attribute  of  God  to 
another,  like  stars  of  the  first  magnitude;  nothing  in 
order  to  salvation  is  hid  from  his  eyes." — Spencer. 

The  best  learning. — ''  Many  there  are  that  are  ac- 

15 


170  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

counted  deep  scholars,  great  linguists,  excellent  mathe- 
maticians, sharp  logicians,  knowing  politicians,  fine 
rhetoricians,  sweet  musicians,  &c.  These  may  be  good 
or  bad,  as  the  case  may  be,  but  he  is  certainly  the  best 
grammarian  that  has  learnt  to  speak  the  truth  from  his 
heart ;  the  best  astronomer  that  hath  his  conversation  in 
heaven ;  the  best  musician  that  hath  learned  to  sing  the 
praises  of  his  God ;  the  best  arithmetician,  that  so  num- 
bereth  his  days  as  to  apply  himself  to  wisdom ;  he  is  know- 
ing in  ethics,  that  traineth  up  his  family  in  the  fear  of 
the  Lord ;  he  is  the  best  economist  who  is  wise  to  salva- 
tion, prudent  in  giving  and  taking  good  counsel ;  he  is 
the  best  politician,  and  he  is  a  good  linguist  that  speaks 
the  language  of  Canaan." — Spencer. 

LAW  AND  GOSPEL. 

"Laws,"  says  Bishop  Reynolds,  "  are  the  ligaments 
and  sinews  of  a  state ;  the  strings,  as  it  were,  which  be- 
ing touched  and  animated  by  skillful  governors,  do  yield 
that  excellent  harmony,  which  is  to  be  seen  in  well-con- 
stituted communities." 

"  The  law  is  the  mediate  cause  of  all  sin.  The  pro- 
hibition of  the  law  excites  commission.  There  is  reac- 
tion, and  the  sin  within  us  gathers  strength  by  the  holi- 
ness of  the  precept.  When  the  rushing  stream  is  ob- 
structed, the  waters  do  but  gather  strength  for  a  rush ; 
yet  the  dam  is  not  the  cause  of  the  impetuosity.  The 
sun  hatches  the  viper's  eggs,  which  but  in  warmth  had 
never  produced  the  reptile.  Yet  the  sun  is  not  the  cause 
of  its  poison." — J.  H.  Evans. 

The  foundation  of  the  gospel  is  a  fulfilled  law. 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS,  171 

"  The  Cross,  whicli  is  the  triumph  of  grace,  is  also 
the  triumph  of  law." — Vinet. 

"  The  law  gives  us  first  duty,  then  privilege ;  the 
gospel,  vice  versd.  We  first  receive  Jesus,  then  take  his 
yoke,  as  willing  servants,  and  find  rest  unto  our  souls." 
— J.  H.  Evans. 

"The  Law  begins  with  commands,  and  ends  with 
blessings  ;  but  the  blessings  are  like  inviting  fruit  hang- 
ing upon  lofty  branches,  which  human  nature  in  its  fallen 
state  can  never  reach ;  the  gospel,  on  the  contrary,  begins 
with  promises,  and  ends  with  precepts." 

"  The  law  craves  justice ;  the  gospel  delights  in 
mercy,  through  the  satisfaction  of  justice.  Moses  de- 
mands obedience — Jesus  seeks  transgressors.  What 
qualifies  for  the  one,  disqualifies  for  the  other." — Choice 
Sayings. 

"  There  is  no  cup  of  poison  more  deadly  than  that 
mingled  cup  of  law  and  grace,  of  works  and  faith,  which 
is  presented  to  men,  instead  of  ^  the  gospel  of  the  grace 
of  God.'  This  is  far  more  dangerous  than  the  midnight 
bowl  of  the  drunkard ;  and  yet  do  men  willingly  put  it 
to  their  lips,  and  seek  to  satisfy  their  conscience  thereby." 
— Choice  Sayings. 

The  law  a  bridle. — Not  only  colts,  but  horses  well 
and  properly  broken  in,  require  a  bridle.  It  is  a  most 
sad  perversion  of  the  truth  to  suppose  that  believers  are, 
under  the  gospel,  free  from  the  restraints  of  the  law.  So 
long  as  the  wildness  and  frowardness  of  nature  remain, 
the  bridle  is  required.  As  well  might  we  argue  that 
because  a  boy  had  left  school,  he  had  no  further  need  of 
the  wholesome  restraints  of  education,  as  that  a  man  had 


172  ILLUSTRATIVE    GAIUERINGS. 

no  longer  need  for  tlie  restraints  of  the  law,  because  lie 
is  privileged  to  enjoy  the  freedom  of  the  gospel. 

The  law  a  looking-glass. — "  One  of  the  persecutors 
in  Queen  Mary's  days,  pursuing  a  poor  Protestant,  and 
searching  the  house  for  him,  charged  an  old  woman  to 
show  him  the  heretic.  She  points  to  a  great  chest  of 
linen,  on  the  top  whereof  lay  a  fair  looking-glass.  He 
opens  the  chest,  and  asks  where  the  heretic  was.  She 
suddenly  replied,  '  Do  you  not  see  one  ?'  meaning  that 
he  was  the  heretic,  and  that  he  might  easily  see  himself 
in  the  glass.  And  thus  God's  law  is  the  glass  that 
shows  us  all  our  spots :  let  us  hold  it  right  to  our  intel- 
lectual eye ;  not  heliind  us,  as  the  wicked  do,  they  cast 
God's  word  behind  them ;  not  beside  us,  like  the  rich 
worldling  that  called  to  Christ ;  not  to  turn  the  back  of 
the  glass  towards  us,  which  is  the  very  trick  of  all 
hypocrites;  nor,  lastly,  to  look  upon  ourselves  in  this 
glass  when  we  are  muffled,  masked,  or  cased,  for  under 
those  veils  we  cannot  discern  our  own  complexions.  But 
,  let  us  see  the  clear  glass  before  our  face,  and  our  open 
face  to  the  glass,  and  then  we  shall  soon  perceive  that 
the  sight  of  our  filthiness  is  the  first  step  towards  clean- 
liness. ' ' — Spencer, 

LIARS. 

a  jrp  TAKES  a  good  many  shovelfuls  of  earth  to  bury 
the  truth." — Swiss  Proverb. 

Liars  need  have  good  memories. 

"  Liai"s  are  not  beheved,  when  they  speak  the  truth." 

A  lie  has  no  legs  (^.  e.,  it  requires  some  other  lies  to 
support  it). 

"In  every  SCANDAL  there  is  the  warp  and  the  woof; 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  173 

it  is  seldom  that  some  ground  cannot  be  had  to  work 
upon ;  the  woof  may  be,  in  fact,  wholly  perverted,  but 
upon  it  the  liar  may  weave  his  warp,  his  figure  of  de- 
traction and  scandal ;  and  it  comes  out  all  in  one  piece, 
and  no  man  can  say  that  there  is  not  some  truth  in  it, 
though  if  the  truth  were. picked  out,  the  lie  would  stand 
by  itself;  a  clean  and  absolute  lie." — Dr.  Cheever. 

Jerome  of  Prague  writes  of  a  brave  woman  who,  being 
upon  the  rack,  bade  her  persecutors  do  their  worst,  for 
she  would  die  rather  than  lie. 

LIBERALITY. 

True  charity  is  like  evening  dew,  whose  softening 
and  reviving  influence  operates  silently  and  unseen, — the 
physician,  whose  sole  fee  is  the  consciousness  of  doing 
good, — an  angel  breathing  on  riches. 

The  Jews  call  charity,  "the  hedge  of  riches." 

"  He  must  be  esteemed  liberal  who  disposes  of  his 
property  with  discretion ;  who  proportions  his  bounty  to 
his  ability,  chooses  his  objects  according  to  their  neces- 
sities, and  confers  his  bounties  when  they  are  likely  to 
do  most  good." — Oaleot. 

"  Spiritual  prosperity  is  inseparable  from  Christian 
liberality. ' ' — Mammon 

"  In  defiance  of  all  the  torture,  of  all  the  might,  of 
all  the  malice  of  the  world,  the  liberal  man  will  ever  be 
rich ;  for  God's  providence  is  his  estate,  God's  wisdom 
and  power  are  hjs  defence,  God's  love  and  favor  are 
his  reward,  and  Vod's  word  is  his  security." — Dr. 
Barrow. 

Scattered  seed  increases,  hoarded  seed  dies. 

God  goverrs  barns  as  well  as  nations. 

16* 


174  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

The  best  way  of  increasing  our  money  is  not  to  lay 
it  up^  but  lay  it  out. 

He  is  no  fool  who  parts  with  that  which  he  cannot 
keep ;  when  he  is  sure  to  be  recompensed  with  what  he 
cannot  lose. 

He  that  lays  out  for  God,  God  lays  up  for  him.  But, 
alas !  God's  credit  runs  low  in  the  world ;  few  care  to 
trust  him. 

Industry  may  be  considered  as  the  purse  and  frugahty 
the  strings,  which  should  rather  be  tied  wi^h  a  bow  than 
a  double  knot,  that  the  contents  may  not  be  too  difficult 
of  access  for  reasonable  purposes. 

"  It  is  another's  fault  if  he  be  ungrateful,  but  it  is 
mine  if  I  do  not  give.  To  find  one  thankful,  I  will 
oblige  a  great  many  that  are  not  so." — Seneca. 

True  charity  is  not  only  almsgiving. 

Giving  to  the  Lord  is  but  transporting  our  goods 
to  a  higher  floor. 

The  shekel  of  the  Sanctuary  was  larger  than  the 
common  shekel. 

Liberality  should  have  banks  as  well  as  streams,  say 
some.  True ;  but  even  the  banks  should  be  green  and 
verdant.  When  we  cannot  relieve  another's  want,  we 
can  at  least  refuse  with  kind  and  courteous  words. 

BiON,  the  philosopher,  once  told  a  miser,  "You  do 
not  possess  your  wealth,  but  your  wealth  possesses  you." 

"  God  loveth  a  cheerful  giver." — "A  benefaction 
to  the  poor  should  be  like  oil,  which,ywhen  poured  from 
one  vessel  to  another,  flows  in  silence^nd  with  a  soft  and 
gentle  fall.  An  alms  reluctantly  bestowed  is  like  a  rose 
spoiled  and  discolored  with  the  fumes  of  sulphur ;  like 
sanded   flour   or   oversalted   meat.     He   who    exercises 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  175 

charily  with  a  reluctant  heart  and  angry  words,  is  like 
the  cow  which  yields  her  milk,  but  overturns  the  pail 
with  her  foot." — Gotthold's  Emblems. 

"  When  our  cup  runs  over,  iVe  let  others  drink  the 
drops  that  fall,  and  yet  we  call  it  charity;  when  the 
crumbs  are  swept  from  our  table,  we  think  it  generous 
to  let  the  dogs  eat  them,  as  if  that  were  charity,  which 
permits  others  to  have  that  which  we  cannot  keep,  which 
says  to  Ruth,  ^  Glean  after  the  young  men ;'  but  forgets 
to  say  to  the  young  men,  '  Let  fall  also  some  of  the  hand- 
fuls  of  purpose  for  her.'  " — BeecJier. 

"When  you  grind  your  wheat,  give  not  Satan  the 
corn  and  God  the  bran." — Italian  JProverh, 

The  most  beautiful  hands. — A  party  of  friends 
once  met  together,  when  the  question  was  started  in 
conversation,  who  had  the  most  beautiful  hands  ?  Several 
of  the  company  gave  their  opinion  as  to  the  fair  white 
skin  and  taper  fingers  requisite  to  the  general  notion  of 
a  beautiful  hand,  when  one  young  lady  very  wisely  gave 
her  opinion, — '^ItMnJc  the  most  beautiful  hand  is  the 
hand  that  gives  I" 

Warming  railway  carriages. — A  perfectly  success- 
ful experiment  was  made  a  short  time  ago  between  Paris 
and  Montargis,  by  which  a  portion  of  the  waste  steam 
from  the  engine  was  introduced  into  a  flexible  tube,  ex- 
tending through  the  train,  and  was  so  twisted  that  every 
passenger  might  put  his  foot  upon  it  for  warmth. 

"I  thought,"  said  a  Christian,  "on  reading  this,  if 
our  rich  and  great  people  would  read  this  as  a  fable,  and 
apply  the  moral  to  themselves,  it  might  lead  them  to  use 
part  of  their  superfluous  wealth  and  luxury  to  warm  the 


176  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHEEINGS. 

heart  of  many  a  poor  shivering  fellow-passenger,  and 
they  be  none  the  poorer." 

Richard  Baxter  has  given  this  striking  personal  tes- 
timony to  the  blessing  of  a  liberal  spirit : — 

"  I  never  prospered  more  in  my  small  estate  than  when 
I  gave  most  and  needed  least.  My  own  rule  hath  been, 
— First,  to  contrive  to  need  myself  as  little  as  may  be, 
and  lay  out  none  on  need-nots,  but  to  live  frugally  on  a 
little.  Second,  to  serve  God  in  my  place  upon  that  com- 
petency which  he  allowed  me  to  myself;  that  ^hat  I  had 
myself  might  be  as  good  a  work  for  common  good  as 
that  which  I  gave  to  others ;  and  third,  to  do  all  the 
good  I  could  with  all  the  rest,  preferring  the  most  public 
and  the  most  durable  object,  and  the  nearest.  And  the 
more  I  have  practised  this,  the  more  I  have  had  to  do 
it  with;  and  when  I  gave  almost  all,  more  came  in 
(without  any's  gift)  I  scarce  knew  how,  at  least  unex- 
pected ;  but  when  by  improvidence  I  have  cast  myself 
into  necessities  of  using  more  upon  myself,  or  upon 
things  in  themselves  of  less  importance,  I  have  prospered 
much  less  than  when  I  did  otherwise.  And  when  I  had 
contented  myself  to  devote  that  stock  which  I  had  gotten 
to  charitable  uses  after  my  death,  instead  of  laying  out 
at  present,  that  so  I  might  secure  somewhat  for  myself 
while  I  lived,  in  probability  all  that  is  like  to  be  lost ; 
whereas  when  I  took  that  present  opportunity ,  and  trusted 
God  for  the  time  to  come,  I  wanted  nothing,  and  bst 
nothing." 

The  little  stranger  boy. — The  celebrated  John 
Falk  was  well  known  for  his  love  to  the  children  under 
his  care.  Several  beautiful  incidents  are  connected  with 
his  history.     Once,  when  they  were  sitting  as  usual  at 


ILLUSTEATIVE  GATHERINGS.  177 

supper,  one  of  the  boys  said  the  usual  grace,  — "  Come, 
Lord  Jesus,  be  our  guest,  and  bless  what  thou  hast  pro- 
vided,"— a  little  fellow  looked  up  and  said,  "Do  tell  me 
why  the  Lord  Jesus  never  comes.  We  ask  him  every 
day  to  sit  with  us,  and  he  never  comes  !"  "  Dear  child, 
only  believe,  and  you  may  be  sure  he  will  come,  for  he 
does  not  despise  our  invitation."  "I  shall  set  him  a 
seat,"  said  the  little  fellow;  and  just  then  there  was  a 
knock  at  the  door.  A  poor  frozen  apprentice  entered, 
begging  a  night's  lodging.  He  was  made  welcome ;  the 
chair  stood  empty  for  him ;  every  child  wanted  him  to 
have  his  plate,  and  one  was  lamenting  that  his  bed  was 
too  small  for  the  stranger,  who^  was  quite  touched  by 
such  uncommon  attentions.  The  little  one  had  been 
thinking  hard  all  this  time, — "  Jesus  could  not  come, 
and  so  he  sent  this  poor  boy  in  his  place;  is  that  it?" 
"  Yes,  dear  child,  that  is  just  it.  Every  piece  of  bread 
and  drink  of  water  that  we  give  to  the  poor  or  sick,  or 
the  prisoners  for  Jesus'  sake,  we  give  to  him.  *  Inas- 
much as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these 
my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me.'  "  The  children 
sang  a  hymn  of  the  love  of  God,  to  their  guest  before 
they  parted  for  the  night,  and  neither  they  nor  he  were 
likely  to  forget  this  simple  Bible  comment. 

LIBERTY,  GOSPEL. 

"  He  is  the  freeman,  whom  the  truth  makes  free, 
And  all  are  slaves  beside. 

<^  Holy  liberty  !  but  liberty  in  service,  not  from  ser- 
vice. Not  liberty  to  choose  and  refuse,  but  holy  liberty 
in  obedience.'' — J.  H,  Evans. 


178  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

"  A  MAN  is  never  such  a  freeman  as  when  he  is  led  by 
the  Spirit  of  God." — J.  H.  Evans. 

"And  whence  does  this  liberty  arise?  From  the 
relationship.  They  look  at  the  object  whom  they  serve, 
and  who  is  it  ?  Not  a  master,  merely  as  such ;  not  a 
king,  merely  as  such ;  but  they  serve  a  Father.'' — J.  H, 
Evans. 

Real  independence  consists  in  being  dependent  alto- 
gether upon  God,  and  therefore  to  be  virtually  indepen- 
dent of  all  else. 

"  The  end  of  Christian  liberty  is,  that  being  delivered 
from  the  hands  of  our  enemies,  we  might  serve  the  Lord 
without  fear." — Westminster  Catechism. 

"A  MAN,  till  he  be  in  Christ,  is  a  slave;  and  the 
more  free  a  man  thinks  himself  to  be  and  labors  to  be, 
the  more  slave  he  is.  Why  ?  The  more  liberty  that  a 
man  hath  to  do  lawlessly  what  he  will,  contrary  to  justice 
and  equity,  the  more  he  sins.  The  more  he  sins,  the 
more  he  is  enthralled  to  sin.  The  more  he  is  enthralled 
to  sin,  the  more  he  is  in  bondage  to  the  devil,  and  be- 
comes the  enemy  of  God.  Therefore  if  a  man  would 
pick  out  the  wretchedest  man  in  the  world,  I  would  pick 
out  the  greatest  man  in  the  world,  if  he  be  nought,  that 
hath  most  under  him  and  hath  most  liberty,  and  seeks 
most  liberty,  and  recounts  it  his  happiness  that  he  may 
have  his  liberty.  This  is  the  greatest  thraldom,  and  it 
will  prove  when  he  dies  and  comes  to  answer  for  it,  the 
greatest  thraldom  of  all.  Therefore  the  point  needs  not 
much  proof,  that  if  we  be  not  in  Christ,  we  are  slaves ; 
as  Augustine  saith  in  his  book,  Be  civitate  Dei,  '  He  is 
a  slave,  though  he  domineer  and  rule.'  " — Sihhes. 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  179 

LIFE,  SPIRITUAL. 

"  Christ  is  life  ;  others  only  live." — Hoivels. 

The  evidence  of. — "  Those  who  travel  through  des- 
erts would  often  be  at  a  loss  for  water  if  certain  indica- 
tions, which  the  hand  of  Providence  has  marked  out, 
did  not  serve  to  guide  them  to  a  supply.  The  secret 
wells  are  for  the  most  part  discoverable  from  the  verdure 
which  is  nourished  by  their  presence.  So  the  fruitful- 
ness  of  good  works  of  the  believer,  amidst  the  deadness 
and  sterility  around  him,  proclaim  the  Christian's  life." 
— Salter. 

"  We  have  very  faint  conceptions  of  the  full  import 
of  the  word  life.  If  the  glorious  light  of  the  sun  is 
but  a  shadow  of  God's  glory,  the  life  of  man  is  but  a 
shadow  of  the  life  of  God.  The  life  of  a  plant  gives 
but  a  faint  perception  of  the  life  of  an  animal ;  and 
that  of  a  brute  but  a  faint  conception  of  the  life  of  a 
man ;  and  the  life  of  a  man  as  faint  a  conception  of  the 
life  of  God,  and  that  life  of  God  is  the  promise.  What 
is  that  life  ?  We  can  only  speak  of  it  with  stammering 
tongues.  None  of  the  similes  applied  to  life  here  illus- 
trates life  there ;  not  a  bubble,  but  substantial  reality ; 
not  a  drop,  but  an  ocean  always  full ;  not  grass,  but  a 
tree  growing  in  the  midst  of  the  Paradise  of  God :  not 
a  vapor,  but  a  sun  lighted  up  as  the  fountain  of  light. 
It  is  not  mere  existence,  but  existence  full  of  blessed- 
ness ;  life  without  a  pang ;  life  full  of  enjoyment ;  an 
ocean  of  bliss,  without  a  drop  of  bitterness ;  and  for- 
ever it  will  be — 'Life  to  come.'  " — Jackson. 

Duration  of. — "  The  ordinary  manna  which  Israel 
gathered  for  their  daily  use  did  presently  corrupt  and 
breed  worms,  b*ut  that  which  was  laid  up  before  the  Lord, 


180  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

the  hidden  manna  in  the  tabernacle,  did  keep  without 
putrefaction.  So  our  life,  which  we  have  here  in  the 
wilderness  of  this  world,  doth  presently  vanish  and  cor- 
rupt ;  but  our  life,  which  is  kept  in  the  tabernacle ;  our 
life,  which  '  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God,'  that  never  runs 
into  death.  Natural  life  is  like  the  Jordan,  that  empties 
itself  into  the  Dead  Sea ;  but  spiritual  life  is  like  the 
waters  of  the  sanctuary,  which  being  shallow  at  the 
first,  grow  deeper  and  deeper,  into  a  river,  which  cannot 
be  passed  through ;  water  continually  springing  and  run- 
ning forward  into  eternal  life ;  so  that  the  life  that  we 
leave  is  mortal  and  perishing,  and  that  which  we  go  into 
is  durable  and  abounding.     John  x.  10." — Salter. 

LIGHT,  SPIRITUAL, 

— MUST    BE    DIVINELY    COMMUNICATED. — "It    is    not 

enough  that  all  our  hindrances  of  knowledge  be  removed, 
for  that  is  but  the  opening  of  the  covering  of  the  book 
of  God ;  but  when  opened,  it  is  written  with  a  hand  that 
every  eye  cannot  read.  Though  the  windows  of  the 
east  be  open,  yet  every  eye  cannot  behold  the  glories  of 
the  sun;  the  eye  must  be  fitted  to  the  object;  it  is  not 
therefore  the  wit  of  man,  but  the  power  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  that  can  pour  light  within  the  heart." 

JiiST  as  a  person  with  weak  sight  will  yet  see  things 
more  clearly  in  the  open  day  than  one  with  the  strongest 
vision  at  midnight ;  so  a  poor  unlettered  man  can  discern 
spiritual  truth,  as  one  who  walketh  in  the  day ;  whilst 
other  men,  however  naturally  gifted,  do  but  grope  in  the 
night. 

The  Christian  should  use  his  light,  not  as  a  study 
lamp  only,  for  his  own  pleasure  or  profit,  but  as  light- 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.         181 

house-keepers  use  their^  lanterns,  that  they  may  warn 
others  from  danger,  and  cheer  them  on  their  course. 

The  earnest  lighthouse-keeper. — In  one  of  the 
many  lighthouses,  which  are  such  blessings  on  the  deep, 
the  light,  through  some  derangement  of  the  machinery, 
ceased  to  revolve,  as  usual.  What  could  be  done?  Di- 
rectly the  keeper  discovered  it,  he  ran  to  the  proper  po- 
sition, and  by  manual  labor  kept  steadily  revolving  the 
light,  until  weariness  compelled  him  to  call  another  to 
his  relief.  Then  another  took  his  turn,  and  so  all  night 
long  the  light  was  kept  in  motion.  A  stranger,  after- 
wards commenting  on  his  solicitude,  the  man  replied, 
"Why,  sir,  there  may  be  a  hundred  seamen  looking  out 
from  the  darkness  and  storm  to  catch  a  glimpse  at  this 
light.  If  it  do  not  move,  it  will  be  mistaken  for  another, 
and  in  their  uncertainty  and  danger,  they  may  lose  the 
channel  and  be  shipwrecked." 

Lux  LUCET  in  tenebris. — The  ancient  Insignia  of  the 
Waldensian  Church  was  a  candlestick,  with  a  light  shed- 
ding its  rays  across  the  surrounding  darkness,  and  en- 
circled with  seven  stars,  and  the  motto,  '''Lux  lucet  in 
tenebris.''  Anything  more  appropriately  descriptive  of 
the  position  and  history  of  that  Church  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  conceive. 

More  light. — "When  you  are  reading  a  book  in  a 
dark  room,  and  come  to  a  difficult  part,  you  take  it  to  a 
window  to  get  more  light.  So  take  your  Bibles  to 
Christ. ' '— iJf'  Qheyne. 

He  mistook  the  light.  And  what  was  the  conse- 
quence? Why,  the  largest  steamship  almost  ever  built, 
which  cost  £200,000  in  building,  and  left  port  in  fine 
trim,  with  a  company  of  three  hundred  souls  on  board, 

16 


182  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

and  a  rich  cargo,  was  wrecked,  in  a  dark  and  stormy 
niglit,  on  the  most  dangerous  part  of  the  coast  of  Ireland. 
Yet  the  captain  and  his  officers  were  on  the  look-out — ■ 
the  chart  was  well  examined — the  usual  precautions  seem 
to  have  been  taken. — But — a  light  appeared  which  was 
not  noted  on  the  chart,  and  the  captain  was  misled  by  it. 
He  mistook  it  for  another  light  which  was  on  the  chart, 
and  so,  when  he  supposed  he  was  running  out  to  sea,  he 
was  really  running  in  upon  the  breakers.  Such  was  the 
mistake  and  so  terrible  were  the  consequences. 

The  fate  of  the  G-reat  Britain  contains  a  moral  lesson 
of  incalculable  value.  Every  reader  of  these  lines  is 
voyaging  on  a  dangerous  sea,  where  thousands  of  false 
lights  are  lighted  to  deceive.  Let  all  remember  the  only 
true  guide  is,  to  keep  close  to  the  unerring  chart  of 
Holy  Scripture.  Trust  no  other  guide.  Trust  to  no 
other  light. 

Latimer's  words  at  the  stake. — "Be  of  good  comfort. 
Master  Ridley,  and  play  the  man ;  we  shall  this  day  light 
such  a  candle,  by  God's  grace,  in  England,  as  I  trust 
shall  never  be  put  out." 

LORD'S  SUPPER. 

"All  receive  not  the  grace  of  the  Sacraments,  who 
receive  the  Sacraments  of  grace." — Hooker. 

"A  BROKEN,  heart  and  broken  bread  agree  well  to- 
gether.    May  we  never  separate  them." — J.  H.  Evans. 

This  sacrament  is  "a  glass  for  the  mind,  a  monument 
for  the  memory,  a  support  of  faith,  a  provocation  to  love, 
a  quickening  to  obedience,  and  a  signet  seal  of  all  the 
mercies  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ." — Archbishop  Usher. 

"An  instrument  or  conveyance  of  lands  from  one 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  183 

party  to  another,  being  fairly  engrossed  in  parchment, 
with  wax  fastened  upon  it,  is  no  more  than  ordinary 
parchment  and  wax ;  but  when  it  comes  once  to  be  sealed 
and  delivered  to  the  use  of  the  party  concerned,  then  it 
is  changed  into  another  quality,  and  made  a  matter  of 
high  concernment.  Thus,  the  elements  of  bread  and 
wine  are  the  same  in  substance  with  the  other  bread  and 
wine  before  and  after  the  administration  is  passed;  the 
same  in  quality,  the  bread  dry,  the  wine  moist ;  the  same 
in  nature,  the  bread  to  support,  the  wine  to  comfort  the 
heart  of  man;  but'  being  once  separated  (not  by  any 
spells,  or  signing  with  the  sign  of  the  cross ;  not  by  any 
popish,  carnal,  sensual  translation,  nor  any  Lutheran 
consubstantiation)  from  a  common  to  a  holy  use,  when 
Christ's  name  is  set  on  them,  in  regard  of  institution, 
consecration,  operation,  and  blessing  attending  on  them, 
then  they  become  Christ's  bread  and  God's  wine,  and  the 
table  God's  table  too :  not  the  bread  of  the  buttery,  but 
of  the  sanctuary ;  not'  the  wine  of  the  grape  only,  but 
of  the  vine  Christ  Jesus,  sealing  upon  us  the  pardon  and 
remission  of  our  sins.  So  that  in  the  right  receiving 
thereof,  we  must  make  it  a  work  not  so  much  to  look  on 
the  elements  what  they  are  but  what  they  signify ;  look 
through  the  bush,  and  see  God  through  the  sacrament, 
and  see  Christ  Jesus  to  our  comfort." — Spencer. 

Not  a  converting,  but  a  confirming  orcfinance. 
"  The  best  food  will  not  make  that  alive  which  was  dead 
before;  nor  will  spiritual  food  communicate  spiritual  life 
where  spiritual  death  prevails.  We  are  not  to  expect' 
life  from  it,  but  growth.'' — Trenclis  Illustrations. 

Not  only  for  commemoration  but  for  communion. 
"Let  us  suppose  that,  after  the  deluge,  God  had  com- 


184  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHEEINGS. 

manded  Noah  and  his  household  once  a  year  to  enter  the 
ark,  and  shut  themselves  in  for  a  whole  day;  surely  they 
would  not  only,  by  so  doing,  have  thereby  commemorated 
the  fact  of  their  voyage  in  it,  but  would  have  sought  to 
have  recalled  their  feelings  on  that  occasion,  and  to 
waken  up  new  gratitude  in  their  hearts  for  their  deliver- 
ance. " —  Ch  ristian  Treasury. 

"If  a  friend  give  us  a  ring  at  his  death,  we  wear  it  to 
keep  up  the  memory  of  our  friend;  much  more  then 
ought  we  to  keep  up  the  memorial  of  Christ's  death  in 
the  sacrament." — Thos.  Watson. 

"It  is  a  visible  sermon,  wherein  Christ  crucified  is  set 
before  us." — Thos.  Watson. 

Chrysostom  calls  it  "the  dreadful  table  of  the  Lord." 
So  it  is  to  such  as  come  "unworthily." — Thos.  Watson. 

"  We  dress  ourselves  when  we  come  to  the  table  of 
some  great  monarch;  so  we  should  think  with  ourselves, 
we  are  going  to  the  table  of  the  Lord,  therefore  should 
prepare  ourselves  with  holy  meditation  and  heart  con- 
sideration." 

"  Cleopatra  put  a  jewel  in  a  cup,  which  contained 
the  price  of  a  kingdom ;  this  sacred  cup  we  are  to  drink 
of,  enriched  with  the  blood  of  God,  is  above  the  price  of 
a  kingdom." 

"  Satan  bears  a  grudge  to  the  commemorative  ordi- 
nance ^of  the  supper,  for  it  is  commemorative  of  his 
overthrow,  as  well  as  of  the  Redeemer's  triumph." — 
Hewitson. 

The  Rev.  D.  Sandeman  writes  after  a  communion 
season — "  Saw  that  Jesus,  as  it  were,  counts  the  num- 
ber of  showings  forth  and  rememberings  of  him  and  of 
his  death.     He  longs  and  waits  for  the  last.     Precious 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  185 

faith !  precious  Christ !  precious  feast !  all  that  comes 
from  him  is  precious  !  Oh,  to  be  continually  sprinkling, 
to  be  continually  hearing  the  sound  of  the  bells  and  the 
pomegranates  on  the  skirts  of  our  High  Priest's  garment 
— and  now  to  be  Christ-like, — gentle,  meek,  and  lowly, 
and  to  be  more  noble-minded !  Much  to  humble.  How 
easy  to  receive  and  resolve.  How  difficult  to  perform. 
Let  me  remember  the  robe  which  I  must  be  ever  wear- 
ing." 

George  III. — After  his  coronation  the  King  received 
the  Lord's  Supper,  after  the  usual  custom ;  but  Avhen 
the  two  archbishops  came  to  hand  him  from  the  throne, 
he  stopped  and  said  that  he  would  not  receive  it  with  the 
crown  upon  his  head.  The  crown  was  then  taken  off. 
He  then  bade  the  Queen  take  off  hers,  and  on  being  told 
that  it  was  pinned  on,  said,  "  Well,  then,  let  it  be  und;er- 
stood,  that  Her  Majesty  received  it  not  as  a  Queen  but 
as  a  Christian." 

Warburton  and  Tucker  were  contemporary  bishop 
and  dean  of  the  same  cathedral.  Both  were  eminent, 
but  very  different  in  the  line  of  their  studies.  For  many 
years  they  were  not  even  on  speaking  terms.  It  was  on 
a  Good-Friday,  not  long  before  Warburton's  death,  they 
were  at  the  Holy  Table  together ;  before  he  gave  the 
cup  to  the  Dean,  he  stooped  down,  and  said  in  tremulous 
emotion — ''  Dear  Tucker,  let  this  cup  be  the  cup  of  re- 
conciliation between  us."  It  had  the  intenaed  effect; 
they  were  friends  again  to  their  mutual  satisfaction. — 
Whitecro8s's  Anecdotes. 

Col.  Gardiner. — "  A  more  devout  communicant  at 
the  table  of  the  Lord,"  says  Dr.  Doddridge,  in  his  Life 
of  him,  "has  perhaps  seldom  anywhere  been  seen.    Often 
16  ♦ 


186  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

have  I  had  the  pleasure  to  see  that  manly  countenance 
softened  into  all  the  marks  of  humiliation  and  contrition 
on  this  occasion ;  and  to  discern,  in  spite  of  all  his  efforts 
to  conceal  them,  streams  of  tears  flowing  ^down  from 
his  eyes,  while  he  has  been  directing  them  to  those 
memorials  of  his  Redeemer's  love.  And  some  who  have 
conversed  intimately  with  him,  after  he  came  from  that 
ordinance,  have  observed  a  visible  abstraction  from  sur- 
rounding objects,  by  which  there  seemed  reason  to 
imagine  that  his  soul  was  wrapt  up  in  holy  contempla- 
tion. And  I  particularly  remember  that  when  we  had 
once  spent  a  great  part  of  the  following  Monday  in 
riding  together,  he  made  an  apology  to  me  for  being  so 
absent  as  he  seemed,  by  telling  me  that  his  heart  was 
flown  upwards,  before  he  was  aware,  to  Him  whom  not 
having  seen  he  loved ;  and  he  was  rejoicing  in  him  with 
such  unspeakable  joy,  that  he  could  not  hold  it  down  to 
creature  converse." — Whitecross's  Anecdotes. 

Miss  Edgeworth  in  one  of  her  tales,  relates  an  anec- 
dote of  a  Spanish  artist,  who  was  employed  to  depict  the 
"Last  Supper."  It  was  his  object  to  throw  all  the 
sublimity  of  his  art  into  the  figure  and  countenance  of 
the  Master ;  but  he  put  on  the  table  in  the  foreground 
some  chased  cups,  the  workmanship  of  which  was  ex- 
ceedingly beautiful,  and  when  his  friends  came  to  see  the 
picture  on  the  easel,  every  one  said,  "  What  beautiful 
cups  they  tire."  "Ah!"  said  he,  "I  have  made  a  mis- 
take ;  these  cups  divert  the  eyes  of  the  spectator  from 
the  Master,  to  whom  I  wished  to  direct  the  attention  of 
the  observer;"  and  he  took  his  brush  and  rubbed  them 
from  the  canvas,  that  the  strength  and  vigor  of  the  chief 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  18T 

object  might  be  seen  as  it  should.     We  need  not  apply 
that  interesting  anecdote. 

New  shoes. — "  I  have  observed  that  children,  irhen 
they  first  put  on  new  shoes,  are  very  curious  to  keep 
them  clean.  Scarce  will  they  set  their  feet  on  the  ground 
for  fear  to  dirt  the  soles  of  their  shoes.  Yea,  rather 
they  will  wipe  the  leather  clean  with  their  coats  ;  and  yet 
perchance  the  next  day  they  will  trample  with  the  same 
shoes  in  the  mire  up  to  the  ankles.  Alas  !  children's  play 
is  our  earnest !  On  that  day  wherein  we  receive  the 
sacrament,  we  are  often  over-precise,  scrupling  to  say  or 
do  those  things  which  lawfully  we  may.  But  we,  who 
are  more  than  curious  that  day,  are  not  so  much  as  care- 
ful the  next ;  and  too  often  (what  shall  I  say  ?)  go  on  in 
sin  up  to  the  ankles  ;  yea,  our  sins  go  over  our  heads." — 
Tlios.  Fuller. 

LOST,  SINNERS  ARE  BY  NATURE. 

"  Until  a  man  knows  himself  to  be  justly  lost,  he  can 
never  know  himself  to  be  graciously  saved." — J.  S. 
Evans. 

"  There  are  many  places  to  be  lost  in,  but  one  way  to 
be  found,  and  that  is  this,  '  The  Son  of  man  came,'  &c., 
Luke  xix.  10.  0  Jesus,  turn  our  wandering  steps  into 
the  narrow  way  of  righteousness ;  come  to  us,  that  we 
may  be  sought ;  seek  us,  that  we  may  be  found ;  find  us, 
that  we  may  be  saved ;  save  us,  that  we  may  be  blessed, 
and  bless  Thy  name  forever.     Amen." — T.  Adams. 

Mr.  Whitefield,  a  brother  of  the  Rev.  G.  Whitefield, 
after  living  some  time  in  a  backsliding  and  careless  state, 
was  roused  to  a  perception  of  his  danger,  but  shortly 
after  sank  into  mei'ancholy  and  despondency.    .  He  was 


188  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

drinking  tea  with  the  Countess  of  Huntingdon  one  after 
noon,  while  her  ladyship  was  endeavoring  to  raise  his 
hopes  by  conversing  on  the  infinite  mercy  of  God  through 
Jesus  Christ.  For  a  while  it  was  all  in  vain.  "  My 
lady,"  he  replied,  "  I  know  what  you  say  is  true.  The 
mercy  of  God  is  infinite.  I  see  it  clearly.  But,  ah ! 
my  lady,  there  is  no  mercy  for  me.  I  am  a  wretch, 
entirely  lost."  "I  am  glad  to  hear  it,  Mr.  W.,"  said 
Lady  H.,  "  I  am  glad  at  my  heart  that  you  are  a  lost 
man."  He  looked  with  great  surprise,  "  What !  my  lady, 
glad  !  glad  at  your  heart  that  I  am  a  lost  man?"  "  Yes, 
Mr.  Whitefield,  truly  glad :  for  Jesus  Christ  came  into 
the  world  to  save  the  lost !"  He  laid  down  his  cup  of 
tea  on  the  table — "  Blessed  be  God  for  that,"  he  said ; 
"glory  to  God  for  that  word,"  he  exclaimed.  "Oh! 
what  unusual  power  is  this  which  I  feel  attending  it ! 
Jesus  Christ  came  to  save  the  lost !  then  I  have  a  ray  of 
hope:"  and  so  he  proceeded.  As  he  finished  his  last 
cup  of  tea,  his  hand  trembled,  and  he  complained  of 
illness.  He  went  out  of  the  house  for  air,  staggered, 
was  brought  in,  and  shortly  after  expired. 

LOYE. 

" Love,"  says  Luther,  "is  an  affection  of  union, 
whereby  we  desire  to  enjoy  perpetual  union  with  the 
thing  loved." 

"  IS  the  master-Tcey  that  opens  every  ward  of  the 

heart  of  man." — J.  H.  Evans. 

"  is   the   sun   of    life ;   most   beautiful   in    the 

morning  and  evening,  but  warmest  and  steadiest  at 
noon." 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS,  189 

Love  is  to  the  heart  what  summer  is  to  the  year,  ■ — it 
brings  to  maturity  the  choicest  fruits. 

is  in  the  heart,  "  the  great  commanding  com- 
mandment that  commands  all  other  duties  whatsoever. 
It  is  the  first  wheel  that  turns  the  whole  soul  about." — 
Sihhes. 

The  law  of  love  in  the  Church  is  like  the  Mv  of 
attraction  in  the  material  world ;  without  it  all  the 
several  parts  would  be  in  a  state  of  repulsion  to  each 
other,  and  only  disorganization  and  desolation  could 
result. 

"  True  love  can  no  more  be  diminished  by  showers 
of  evil-hap,  than  flowers  are  marred  by  timely  rains." — 
Sir  P.  Sidney. 

"Love  like  fire  cannot  subsist  without  continual 
movement ;  as  soon  as  it  ceases  to  hope  and  fear  it  ceases 
to  exist." — Rochefoucault. 

"Heaven's  harmony  is  universal  love." — Cowper. 

"  Love  can  hope  where  reason  would  despair." — Long- 
fellow. 

"No  CORD  OR  CABLE  Can  draw  so  forcibly,  or  bind 
so  fast,  as  love  can  do  with  only  a  single  thread." — 
JBurton. 

Cunning  conquers  force,  force  can  subdue  numbers, 
intellect  can  master  courage,  but  love  subdues  all. 

"Love,  well  understood,  is  wisdom." 

"  Every  day  should  be  distinguished  by  at  least  one 
particular  act  of  love." — Lavater. 

LOVE  OF  GOD  AND  CHRIST. 

The  LOVE  of  Christ  hath  a  height  without  a  top,  a 


190  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

depth  witliout  a  bottom,  a  length  without  an  end,  and  a 
breadth  without  a  limit." — Mason, 

"  Who  can  take  the  proper  dimensions  of  God's  love, 
without  a  proper  knowledge  of  their  own  sin?" — T. 
Adams. 

''  Comparisons  can  give  but  a  very  imperfect  view  of 
this  love  ^  which  passeth  knowledge.'  Though  we  should 
suppose  all  the  love  of  all  the  men  that  ever  were  or 
shall  be  on  the  earth,  and  all  the  love  of  the  angels  in 
heaven,  united  in  one  heart;  it  would  be  but  a  cold' 
heart  to  that  which  was  pierced  by  the  soldier's  spear. 
The  Jews  saw  but  blood  and  water,  but  faith  can  discern 
a  bright  ocean  of  eternal  love  flowing  out  of  these 
wounds.  We  may  have  some  impression  of  the  glory 
of  it,  by  considering  its  effects.  We  should  consider  all 
the  spiritual  and  eternal  blessings  received  by  God's 
people  for  four  thousand  years  before  Christ  was  cruci- 
fied, or  that  have  been  received  since,  or  that  will  bo 
received  till  the  consummation  of  all  things ;  all  the 
deliverances  from  eternal  misery ;  all  the  oceans  of  joy 
in  heaven ;  the  river  of  waters  of  life  to  be  enjoyed  to 
all  eternity  by  multitudes  as  the  sand  of  the  sea-shore ; 
we  should  consider  all  these  blessings  as  flowing  from 
that  love  that  was  displayed  in  the  cross  of  Christ." — 
Maclaiirin. 

"All  God's  perfections  and  procedures  are  so  many 
modifications  of  his  love.  What  is  his  omnipotence,  but 
the  arm  of  his  love  ?  What  is  his  omniscience,  but  the 
medium  through  which  he  contemplates  the  objects  of 
his  love  ?  What  is  his  wisdom,  but  the  scheme  of  his 
love  ?  What  are  the  off'ers  of  the  gospel,  but  the  invita- 
tions of  his  love?     What  are  the  threatenings  of  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  191 

law,  but  the  warnings  of  his  love?  The  voice  (.f  his 
love  saying,  'Man,  do  thyself  no  harm.'  They  are  a 
fence  thrown  round  the  pit  of  perdition  to  prevent  rash 
men  from  running  to  ruin.  What  was  the  incarnation 
of  the  Savioup,  but  the  richest  illustration  of  his  love  ? 
What  were  the  miracles  of  Christ,  but  the  condescensions 
of  his  love  ?  What  were  the  sighs  of  Christ,  but  the 
breath  of  his  love  ?  What  were  the  prayers  of  Christ, 
but  the  pleadings  of  his  love  ?  What  were  the  tears  of 
Christ,  but  the  dew-drops  of  his  love?  What  is  the 
earth,  but  the  theatre  for  the  display  of  his  love  ?  What 
are  the  heavens,  but  the  Alps  of  his  love,  from  whose 
summits  his  blessings,  flowing  down  in  a  thousand  streams, 
descend  to  water  and  refresh  the  Church  situated  at  its 
base?" — JDr.  Waugh. 

"All  that  Jesus  did  was  but  the  unfolding  and  ex- 
pression of  his  love.  Traveling  to  Bethlehem,  I  see  love 
incarnate.  Tracking  his  steps,  as  '  he  went  about  doing 
good,'  I  see  love  laboring.  Visiting  the  house  at  Bethany, 
I  see  love  sympathizing.  Standing  by  the  grave  of 
Lazarus,  I  see  love  weeping.  Entering  the  gloomy  pre- 
cincts of  Gethsemane,  I  see  love  sorrowing.  Passing  on 
to  Calvary,  I  see  love  suiFering,  and  bleeding,  and  ex- 
piring. The  whole  scene  of  his  life  is  but  an  unfolding 
of  the  deep,  and  awful,  and  precious  mystery  of  redeem- 
ing love." — Winslow. 

LOVE  TO  GOD. 

"  The  true  measure  of  loving  God  is  to  love  him 
without  measure." — St.  Bernard. 

"  To  love  God  is  to  desire  to  converse  with  him — ^to 


192  ILLUSTKATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

wish  to  go  to  him — to  sigh  and  languish  after  him."— 
Fenelon. 

"  Holy  delight  in  God  is  the  flower  of  love ;  a  love 
grown  up  to  its  full  age  and  stature,  which  hath  no  tor- 
ment in  it." — Shaw. 

God  should  be  "  the  object  of  all  our  desires,  the  end 
of  all  our  actions,  the  principle  of  all  our  affections, 
and  the  governing  power  of  our  whole  souls." — Masillon. 

"  Divine  love  is  a  sacred  flower,  wliich  in  its  early 
bud  is  happiness,  and  in  its  full  bloom  is  heaven." — * 
Harvey. 

"  Does  you  love  God  ?" — The  question  came  from  a 
tiny  pair  of  lips.  Opposite  sat  a  young  man  of  striking 
exterior.  They  were  fellow-travelers  in  a  stage  coach. 
The  child  sat  on  the  mother's  knee.  For  four  hours 
the  coach  had  been  rolling  on,  and  the  child  had  been 
very  winning  in  her  little  ways — lisping  songs — lifting 
her  bright  blue  eyes  into  her  mother's  face — then  falling 
back  into  her  mother's  arms,  as  if  to  say,  "  I  am  happy 
here." 

For  more  than  an  hour  this  young  man  had  played 
with  her.  He  had  nodded  his  head  to  her  little  tunes — 
he  had  offered  her  his  pearl-handled  knife  to  play  with, 
until  his  heart  seemed  fairly  won. 

It  was  thus  the  journey  was  almost  ending,  when  for 
a  time  the  innocent  face  wore  an  air  of  strange  solemnity ; 
a  deep  thoughtfulness  spread  over  the  young  brow  that 
had  never  yet  known  the  dark  shadow  of  care,  and  as 
the  coach  stopped  at  the  inn  door,  and  the  passengers 
moved  uneasily  preparatory  to  leaving,  she  bent  towards 
the  young  man,  and  lisped  in  her  childish  voice, 

"  Does  you  love  God  ?" 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  193 

He  did  not  understand  at  first  in  the  confusion,  and 
bent  over  her  nearer,  and  the  voice  asked  again,  "  Does 
you  love  God?" — the  thoughtful,  inquiring  ejes  mean- 
time beaming  into  his  own. 

The  young  man  drew  back  hastily,  blushing  up  to  his 
hair.  He  looted  at  the  child  in  a  sort  of  confused, 
abrupt  way,  turned  to  the  coach  door ;  gave  another 
look  back,  as  if  he  longed  to  see  that  face  again,  and 
th>en  was  gone. 

He  hurried  to  his  hotel ;  but  the  little  voice  went  with 
him.  There  seemed  an  echo  in  his  heart,  catching  up 
and  recalling  the  question,  "Does  you  love  God?" 

Several  gay  young  men  met  him  at  the  hotel.  They 
appeared  to  have  waited  for  him  some  time,  and  wel- 
comed him  with  mirth,  that  seemed  almost  boisterous. 
An  elegant  supper  had  been  prepared,  to  which  they 
soon  escorted  him,  and  all  seemed  likely  to  be  merry. 
But — he  was  not  merry.  Despite  all  around,  there  was 
a  voice  within,  that  Jcept  on,  echoing,  echoing, — 

"Does  you  love  God?" 

So  the  voice  haunted  him  all  that  night.  It  came  to 
him  when  he  held  the  red  wine  to  his  lips ;  it  was  heard 
amid  the  clatter  of  the  billiard-balls  and  the  shouts  of 
merry  laughter  that  filled  the  room,  everyw^here, — 

"  Does  you  love  God  ?" 

It  followed  him  to  his  bed-side.  He  had  tried  to 
drown  it  in  wine,  in  song,  in  revelling.  He  strove  to 
sleep  it  away ;   but  it  came  again  to  him  in  his  dreams. 

The  next  night  he  met  a  fashionable  friend.     He  was 

about  to  take  her  to  some  place  of  pleasure.     She  was 

very  beautiful  in  herself,  and  beautifully  dressed.     The 

gleam  of  pearls  and  the  lustres  of  silk  and  lace  vied 

ir 


194  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

with  each  other  to  set  forth  her  loveliness ;  but  even  as 
she  came  sailing  into  the  room,  with  smiles  upon  her 
young  red  lips,  and  a  welcome  in  her  words,  there  came 
too,  floating  noiselessly  at  her  side,  the  presence  of 
that  angel-child.  The  better  feelings  her  presence  had 
awakened  were  yet  warm ;  and  before  he  knew  it,  the 
young  man  said,  quickly  and  smartly,  "  Does  you  love 
God?" 

"What  do  you  mean?"  exclaimed  the  young  girl,  with 
a  start  of  surprise. 

"  I  was  thinking  as  you  came  in,  of  a  lovely  child  I 
saw  yesterday,"  he  replied.  "As  I  was  just  leaving 
the  coach,  she  suddenly  looked  up,  and  put  i  to  me  that 
question." 

"  And  what,  pray,  put  it  into  the  child's  head  ?  What 
did  you  answer?" 

"  I  am  ashamed  to  say,  I  was  not  prepared  with  an 
answer,"  replied  the  young  man,  casting  down  his  eyes. 

That  night  pleasure  had  no  gratification  for  him.  His 
feet  trod  languidly  the  mazes  of  the  dance ;  his  smiles 
were  forced,  and  more  than  once  it  was  said,  "  He  does 
not  seem  himself." 

No.  He  was  not  himself ;  that  is,  as  he  had  been. 
A  little  child  had  cast  a  pebble  in  the  stagnant  pool  of 
his  thoughtless  heart,  and  the  waters  were  stirred  from 
their  deepest  depth. 

******* 

Dust-soiled  and  weary,  a  thoughtful  man  walked 
through  the  principal  street  of  a  large  western  city. 
As  he  walked  on,  apparently  absorbed  in  his  own  medi- 
tations, his  eye  suddenly  encountered  a  face  looking  down 
from  the  window  of  a  handsome  house.     His  whole  coua 


ILLUSTEATIVE   GATHERINGS.  195 

tend,nce  suddenly  changed.  He  paused  an  instant,  looked 
eagerly  at  the  window,  and  in  another  moment  his  hand 
was  on  the  bell-handle.  He  was  ushered  into  the  room 
where  sat  the  lady  of  the  house. 

"  You  will  pardon  my  intrusion,"  he  said,  "but  I 
could  not  pass  by,  after  seeing  you  so  suddenly  at  the 
window.  I  have  never  forgotten  you  not"  your  little 
girl,  who  five  years  ago,  in  a  stage  coach,  put  to  me 
the  artless  question,  '  Does  you  love  God  ?'  do  you  re- 
member?" 

"I  think  I  do,"  said  the  lady,  smiling,  "from  the  cir- 
cumstance that  you  seemed  so  startled  and  confused ; 
but  my  dear  child  asked  almost  every  person  whom  we 
met,  that  or  similar  questions." 

"Her  innocent  face  is  engraven  on  my  heart,"  said 
the  young  man  with  much  emotion.  "  Can  I  not  see 
her,  madam?" 

Strange,  that  in  his  eagerness,  he  did  not  notice  the 
pale  cheek  and  quivering  of  that  mother's  lip.  But  as 
he  ceased  speaking,  he  saw  the  tear-stained  cheek  turned 
towards  the  window.  ' 

"Madam — is — the  child " 

"  She  is  in  heaven,"  came  low  and  brokenly  fropi  the 
trembling  lips. 

The  young  man  sank  back  on  his  seat — sorrowful  that 
he  had  so  rudely  torn  the  still  bleeding  wound  in  that 
mother's  heart. 

"This  is  sad  tidings,"  he  said,  after  a  short  pause, 
and  his  voice  was  troubled.  "  Dear  little  angel !  she  is 
then  speaking  to  me  from  the  grave." 

The  mother  arose,  and  beckoned  him  to  follow  her. 
Into  a  little  hallowed  chamber  she  went,  where  in  a  case 


196  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

were  the  books  the  child  loved,  her  Bible,  her  beautiful 
rewards,  and  her  childish  toys.  "There,"  said  the 
mother — quite  breaking  down — "  there  is  all  that  is  left 
on  earth  of  my  precious  Nettie." 

"No,  madam ;  that  is  not  all  that  is  left;  I  am  here, 
a  monument  of  God's  mercy,  made  so  through  her  holy 
influence.  Before  she  asked  me  that  question  on  that 
eventful  day,  my  mind  was  a  chaos  of  doubt,  of  bewil- 
derment, and  conflicting  errors.  I  had  dared  to  question 
the  existence  of  an  Almighty  Creator,  I  had  defyingly 
thrown  my  taunts  at  him,  who,  in  great  forbearance,  has 
forgiven  me.  My  influence  for  evil  was  very  great ;  for 
many  looked  up  to  me,  and  chose  me  as  their  leader.  I 
was  going  the  downward  path — groping  blindly  in  a  lab- 
yrinth of  errors,  and  dragging  others  with  me.  Madam, 
by  this  time  I  might  have  been  a  debauchee,  a  libertine, 
a  God-defying  wretch,  but  for  her  unlooked-for  question, 
'Does  you  love  God?'  Oh,  that  voice  !  that  look  !  that 
almost  infinite  sorrow !  that  divine  piety,  that  through 
her,  glanced  into  my  soul !  Madam,  these  tears  bear 
witness  that  your  child  left  more  than  precious  dust  and 
perishing  toys." 

Utterly  broken  down,  the  strong  man  wept.  All  he 
had  said  was  true ;  for  he  held  the  hearts  of  many.  In 
genius,  he  was  one  of  the  strong  ones  of  the  earth; 
and  now  that  powerful  mind  was  engaged  in  spread- 
ing the  tidings  of  man's  salvation  through  Jesus  Christ. 

Oh  !  little  children  do  a  mighty  work.  "  Out  of  the 
mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings  hast  thou  perfected  praise !" 
(Matt.  xxi.  16.) 

Reader,  in  the  sweet  accents  of  that  babe  in  heaven, 
is  there  not  a  voice  in  your  heart,  asking, 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  197 

*'  Does  you  love  God  ?" 

"They  shall  come  from  the  East."  (Luke  xiii. 
29.) — "  When  Krishnu  Pul,  the  first  convert  to  Christ 
in  Bengal,  was  on  his  death-bed,  all  who  visited  him  were 
impressed  with  the  deep  peace  that  reigned  there.  The 
stillness  of  the  sick  chamber,  broken  only  by  the  low 
utterance  of  prayer,  or  the  feeble  voice  of  the  dying 
man  as  he  spoke  of  his  hopes  and  prospects,  and  of  the 
Saviour  to  whom  he  owed  them  all,  seemed  to  breathe 
nothing  but  tranquility.  He  was  asked  if  he  loved 
Jesus  Christ.  'Where  can  a  sinner  go,'  he  replied, 
*"  but  unto  Christ  ?'  Soon  after  the  same  question  was 
repeated.  'Yes,'  said  he,  ^hut  he  loves  me  more  than  1 
love  him.'  " 

"They  shall  come  from  ....  the  West." — 
"  Thomas  Hoopoo  attended  a  mission  school  among  the 
American  Indians.  After  some  time  he  went  with  Dea- 
con H to  New  Brunswick  to  the  house  of  a  cler- 
gyman. 

"  On  the  evening  of  their  arrival,  a  select  company, 
including  the  clergyman,  were  invited  to  spend  the  even- 
ing with  a  celebrated  attorney  of  the  place.  Thomas 
(then  about  sixteen  years  old)  accompanied  them. 

"  The  lawyer  entertained  the  company  for  a  long  time 
with  asking  Thomas  about  his  native  country,  their  cus- 
toms, religion,  enjoyments,  &c.,  especially  upon  their  re- 
ligion, compared  with  the  Christian  religion.  At  length 
the  lawyer,  who  was  not  a  religious  man,  ceased,  and 
Thomas  spoke  out  before  them  all. 

"  '  I  am  a  poor  heathen  boy.  It  is  not  strange  that 
my  blunders  should  amuse.  But  soon  there  will  be  a 
larger  meeting  than  this.  We  shall  all  be  there.  They 
17  * 


198  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

will  ask  us  all  one  question — namely,  Do  you  love  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?  Now,  sir,  I  think  I  can  say.  Yes. 
What  will  you  say,  sir  T  He  ceased — a  death-like  still- 
ness pervaded  the  hall.  At  length  it  was  broken  by  a 
proposition  of  the  lawyer,  that  as  the  evening  was  far 
epent,  they  should  have  a  season  of  devotion.  Soon 
they  separated,  and  retired  to  their  respective  rooms. 
But  there  was  no  rest  for  the  lawyer.  The  question  of 
Thomas  rang  in  his  ear — ^  What  will  you  say,  sir  V  He 
paced  his  room  in  anguish.  The  Spirit  of  God  had 
touched  his  conscience.  He  found  no  rest  till  he  could 
answer  the  thrilling  question  proposed  by  that  '  heathen 
boy,'  in  the  affirmative." — Christian  Treasury. 

"They  shall  come  from  ....  the  North." — "As 
vegetation  long  hidden  under  the  snow,  when  the  warm 
summer  comes,  bursts  forth  in  the  most  lovely  bloom; 
some  of  the  warmest  hearts  are  found  in  coldest  climes. 
Timothy,  a  Christian  teacher,  under  the  Moravians  in 
Labrador,  was  a  beautiful  instance.  His  heart  was  full 
of  love  to  Jesus.  'When  I  am  in  my  kiak,  procuring 
provisions,  or  on  other  occasions  alone,'  he  wrote,  'and  I 
call  to  mind  that  my  Saviour  was  for  my  sake  nailed  to 
the  cross,  and  suffered  for  my  sins,  which  are  numberless, 
I  acknowledge  myself  the  chief  of  sinners ;  I  then  pray 
to  my  Saviour  with  deep  abasement,  and  often  with  loud 
weeping.  At  such  times,  I  feel  that  he  draws  nigh,  and 
fills  my  heart  with  such  comfort,  that  I  am  quite  melted 
by  his  love.  This  is  also  the  reason  why  I  make  our 
Saviour  my  most  important  object;  I  cleave  to  him  as  a 
child  does  to  its  mother,  and  I  will  never  turn  away  from 
him.     Nothing  is  more  profitable  to  me  than  the  contem- 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  199 

plation  of  his  sufferings.     Of  this  alone  I  speak  to  my 
fellow-men.'  " 

"They  shall  come  from  the  ....  South." 
"I  have  observed  a  little  Namacqua  girl  in  my  house," 
says  Mr.  Schmalen,  a  Christian  missionary  in  that  part 
of  South  Africa,  "about  eight  years  old,  with  a  book  in 
her  hand,  very  accurately  instructing  another  girl  about 
fourteen.  When  I  asked  her  if  she  loved  the  Lord 
Jesus,  she  answered,  '  Yes,  I  do ;  and  I  desire  to  love 
him  more.'  I  inquired  why  she  loved  him,  since  she  had 
never  seen  him ;  she  answered,  '  He  loved  me  first,  and 
died  for  me  on  the  cross,  that  I  might  live.'  When  I 
asted  her  if  the  Lord  Jesus  would  love  the  little  children, 
she  could  not  answer  me  for  weeping,  and  at  length 
fainted  away.  I  had  frequently  observed  this  child 
under  deep  impressions  at  our  meetings.  She  is  de- 
scended from  a  wild  Bushman,  and  was  stolen  from  her 
people  and  country,  but  has  now  no  desire  to  return." — 
Cheever's  Anecdotes. 

LOVE,  BROTHERLY. 

"The  tender  plant  of  Christian  love,  can  only 
grow  in  the  garden  of  Christian  principle." — J.  IT, 
JEvans. 

"In  every  instance  in  which  we  have  been  wanting 
in  love  to  our  brother,  we  have  been  wanting  in  love  to 
Christ."— J".  R.  Evans. 

"Ie  thou  neglectest  thy  love  to  thy  neighbor,  in 
vain  thou  professest  thy  love  to  God;  for  by  thy  love  to 
Grod,  the  love  to  thy  neighbor  is  begotten,  and  by  the 
love  to  thy  neighbor,  thy  love  to  God  is  nourished." — 
Quarles. 


200  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

"Our  love  to  our  brethren  is  'quoad  ncs'  an  ^d 
posteriori — not  only  the  evidence  but  even  the  measure 
of  our  love  to  Christ.  '  He  that  loveth  not  his  brother 
whom  he  hath  seen,  how  can  he  love  God  whom  he  hath 
not  seen?'  saith  the  Apostle.  He  that  hath  not  love 
enough  in  him  for  a  man  like  himself,  how  can  he  love 
God,  whose  goodness,  being  above  our  knowledge,  re- 
quireth  transcendency  in  our  love?  This,  then,  is  a  sure 
rule, — he  that  loveth  not  a  member  of  Christ,  loveth  not 
him;  and  he  who  groweth  in  his  love  to  his  brethren, 
groweth  likewise  in  his  love  to  Christ.  For  as  there  is 
the  same  proportion  of  one  to  five  as  there  is  of  twenty 
to  a  hundred,  though  the  number  be  far  less ;  as  the  mo- 
tion of  the  shadow  upon  the  dial  answereth  exactly  to 
that  proportion  of  motion  and  distance  which  the  sun 
hath  in  the  firmament,  though  the  sun  goeth  many  mil- 
lions of  miles,  when  the  shadow  (it  may  be)  moveth  not 
the  breadth  of  a  hand;  so  though  our  love  to  Christ 
ought  to  be  ia  far  more  abundant  love  than  to  any  of  his 
members,  yet  certain  it  is  that  the  measure  of  our  pro- 
gress in  brotherly  love  is  punctually  answerable  to  the 
growth  of  our  love  to  Christ,  and  our  love  to  Christ  is 
as  accurately  measured  by  it  as  the  progress  of  the  sun 
in  the  heavens  is  measured  by  the  dial." — Salter. 

True  brotherly  love  is  from  the  heart,  sincere  and 
unconstrained.  "  The  water  of  bounty  flows  from  it  as 
a  fountain,  and  goes  not  out  as  from  a  narrow-mouthed 
bottle,  with  grumbling." — Jenkyn. 

"Have  we  not  all  one  Father?"  (Mai.  ii.  10.) 
"Yes;  brethren  in  Christ  have  all  one  common  Father, 
one  common  likeness,  one  object  of  faith,  love,  and  adora- 
tion ;  one  blessed  hope,  one  present  employment ;  alike  in 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  201 

prayer.  They  lean  upon  the  same  hand,  appear  daily 
before  the  same  mercy-seat,  feed  at  tlje  same  table.  How 
much  all  these  things  link  them  together,  not  in  profes- 
sion only,  but  in  heart.  Hence  this  is  a  decisive  test; 
^  We  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  be- 
cause we  love  the  brethren.'  " — Rev.  D.  Katterns. 

"We  ARE  MEMBERS  ONE  OF   ANOTHER."  (Eph.  iv.  25.) 

— "The  familiar  narrative  of  the  leper  hospital  in  the 
South  of  Africa,  may  afford  an  apt  illustration  of  true 
brotherly  love.  Dr.  Halbeck,  a  missionary  of  the 
Church  of  England,  from  the  top  of  a  neighboring  hill 
saw  them  at  work.  He  noticed  two  particularly,  sowing 
peas  in  the  field.  One  had  no  hands,  the  other  had  no  feet 
— these  members  being  wasted  away  by  disease.  The 
one  who  wanted  the  hands  was  carrying  the  other  who 
wanted  the  feet,  upon  his  back,  and  he  again  carried  the 
bag  of  seed,  and  dropped  a  pea  every  now  and  then, 
w^hich  the  other  pressed  into  the  ground  with  his  feet, 
and  so  they  managed  the  work  of  one  man  between  the 
two.  Such  should  be  the  true  union  of  the  members  of 
Christ's  body,  in  which  all  the  members  should  have  the 
same  care  one  for  another." — (1  Cor.  xii.  25.) 

"Love  one  another,  as  I  have  loved  you."  (John 
xiii.  34.) — "Let  us  not  mistake  his  meaning.  He  asks 
not  that  our  love  should  equal  his,  but  resemble  his :  not 
that  it  should  be  of  the  same  strength,  but  of  the  same 
kind.  A  pearl  of  dew  will  not  hold  the  sun,  but  it  may 
hold  a  spark  of  its  light.  A  child  by  the  sea,  trying  to 
catch  the  waves  as  they  dash  in  clouds  of  crystal  spray 
upon  the  sand,  cannot  hold  the  ocean  in  a  tiny  shell,  but 
he  may  hold  a  drop  of  the  ocean  water.     '  There  is  an 


202  ILLUSTRATIVE   aATHEEINGS. 

ocean  of  love  in  mj  heart,'  sajs  Christ,  4et  a  drop  of 
that  ocean  be  received  into  yours.'  " — Stanford. 

"Love,"  says  Augustine,  "is  our  weight,  it  makes  the 
spirit  sink ;  yet  before  God,  he  is  the  highest  who  seems 
to  sink  the  lowest." 

"As  every  lord  giveth  a  certain  livery  to  his  servants, 
charity  is  the  very  livery  of  Christ.  Our  Saviour, 
which  is  the  Lord  above  all  lords,  would  have  his  ser- 
vants known  by  their  badge,  which  is  love." — Latimer, 

Next  to  Christ's  love,  there  is  no  support  in  sorrow 
like  a  practical  interest  in  the  souls  of  others. 

The  eleventh  commandment. — Doctor  Usher,  hav- 
ing long  heard  of  holy  Samuel  Rutherford,  and  how  the 
tender  grace  of  his  daily  life  made  his  home  a  heaven  on 
earth,  resolved  when  on  a  visit  to  Scotland  to  witness  it 
for  himself.  That  he  might  see  it  in  its  simplicity,  he 
assumed  the  disguise  of  a  poor  wayfarer,  knocked  at  the 
door  of  the  manse,  and  asked  for  a  night's  shelter.  -  He 
was  welcomed  with  primitive  hospitality,  and  when,  at  a 
certain  hour,  the  master  came  down  to  pray  and  converse 
with  his  family,  as  all  were  gathered  round  the  kitchen 
ingle,  his  opening  question  to  the  white-haired  stranger 
was,  "  How  many  commandments  are  there ?"  " Eleven," 
was  the  reply;  the  listeners  regarding  him  as  almost  a 
miracle  of  ignorance.  Before  long,  however,  Ruther- 
ford found  that,  like  the  ancient  Hebrew  chief,  who  in 
receiving  strangers  had  "entertained  angels  unawares," 
he  had  now  under  his  roof  one  of  the  lights  and  princes 
of  sanctified  intellect.  Keeping  his  discovery  to  him- 
self, he  privately  asked  his  guest  to  preach  for  him  on 
the  next  day,  which  was  the  Sabbath.  The  servants 
were  then  startled  to  find  their  mysterious  visitor  stand- 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  203 

Kig  in  the  pulpit — still  more  confounded  were  they, 
wheii  he  began  his  sermon,  taking  for  his  text,  ^'A  new 
commandment  give  I  unto  you,  that  ye  love  one  another ; 
as  I  have  loved  you,  that  ye  also  love  one  another." 
"This,"  said  he,  "may  be  reckoned  the  eleventh  com- 
mandment.'' 

The  Rev.  Edward  Bickersteth,  when  on  his  death- 
bed, said  to  his  sister,  "The  great  thing  in  life  is  to 
seek  each  other's  spiritual  benefit ;  remember  that,  dear 
sister,  for  yourself  and  your  children ;  seek  to  glorify 
Christ  yoursvilf,  and  seek  that  your  children  may  glorify 
him  also." 

"  If    ye    love    THEM    THAT    LOVE    YOU,  WHAT    THANK 

HAVE  YE? "-^—" But,  Christian,  you  have  no  enemy  in 
the  family  of  Christ.  There  may  indeed  be  some  one, 
between  whom  and  yourself  there  is  no  natural  affinity ; 
you  misunderstand  him,  he  misunderstands  you ;  you 
think  he  thwarts  your  plans  and  blights  your  fame ;  he 
may  think  the  same  of  you.  In  his  case,  like  flowers 
beneath  the  snow-drift,  like  gems  beneath  the  rock,  the 
graces  of  the  Spirit  lie  concealed  by  the  cold  and  harsh 
repellancies  of  nature ;  and  this  may  be  the  case  with 
you.  Your  heart  may  say  of  him,  '  Why  should  I  love 
that  man  ?  What  is  he  ?  What  has  he  done  to  call 
afiection  forth  ?'  And  his  heart  may  say  the  same  of 
you.  But  even  if  he  were  all  that  your  morbid  imagina- 
tion pictures,  he  is  not  to  you  what  once  you  were  to 
Christ,  before  Christ's  love  first  took  your  spirit  cap- 
tive ;  and  from  that  first  hour  of  a  new  life  you  have 
been  under  obligation  to  keep  this  his  new  command- 
ment, *  Love  one  another,  as  I  have  loved  you.'  " — StaU' 
ford. 


204  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

LUKEWARMNESS. 

— Like  rust  to  the  wheel,  damp  to  the  mirror,  water  to 
fire,  weight  to  the  wings. 

"A  Christian  never  falls  asleep  in  the  fire  or  in 
the  water,  but  grows  drowsy  in  the  sunshine." — Ber 
ridge.         . 

,  A  Christian  need  not  row  himself  down  the  stream ; 
if  he  but  rest  upon  his  oars,  the  ebbing  tide  and  rapid 
current  will  be  enough. 

"  "  God  is  a  living  God,  and  loves  not  dull  and  drowsy 
saints;  we  must  not  only  serve  him  in  this  life,  but  we 
must  have  life  in  the  service." — Calamy. 

"The  cold  water  of  persecution  is  often  thrown 
into  the  Church's  face  to  fetch  her  back  again,  when  she 
is  in  a  swoon." — Arrowsmith. 

"  Low  thoughts  of  Christ,  beloved,  lie  at  the  root  of 
all  our  low  religion." — J.  H.  Evans. 

"  The  more  rusty  the  iron  is,  the  oftener  we  put  it 
into  the  fire  to  purify  it ;  and  the  more  crooked  it  is,  the 
more  blows,  and  the  harder  the  blows,  we  give  to 
straighten  it.  Therefore,  Christian,  if  thou  hast  long 
been  gathering  rust,  thou  hast  no  cause  to  complain  if 
God  deal  thus  with  thee." — Brooks. 

"  A  SPARK  is  not  enough  to  set  the  heart  on  fire  in 
holy  things ;  in  carnal  thihgs  it  is  enough ;  many  such 
languid  motions  carnal  men  have;  yea,  many  cold 
prayers  that  God  would  make  them  better ;  but,  '  the 
soul  of  the  sluggard  desireth  and  hath  nothing,  for 
his  hands  refuse  to  labor;'  they  do  not  set  them- 
selves in  good  earnest  to  get  that  grace  they  wish  for." 
— Manton. 

It  was  remarked  by  a  physician, — ''I  know  of  no 


\ 
\ 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  205 

complaint  worse  than  weak  health  ;  for  it  unhappily  dis- 
poses the  constitution  to  suffer  from  any  kind  of  deadly 
illness  which  may  come  in  its  way.  There  is  a  spiritual 
low  state  of  health,  which  is  just  as  dangerous ;  faith, 
the  sap  of  the  moral  plant,  is  in  feeble  exercise ;  the 
soul  is  ready  to  fall  a  prey  to  any  temptation  with  which 
Satan  may  assault  it.  The  best  safeguard  against  fall- 
ng,  is  a  vigorous  growth  in  grace." — Mothers  in  Coun- 
cil. 

Half  way  won't  do. — '*  A  gentleman,  who  for  many 
years  has  been  engulfed  in  the  cares  of  trade,  and  in  a 
measure  yielded  to  its  temptations,  remarked,  '  I  have 
tried  for  twenty  years  to  be  a  half-way  Christian,  and 
find  it  is  impossible,  we  must  be  at  one  or  the  other  ex- 
treme ;  and  as  for  myself,  I  am  determined  hereafter  to 
do  my  whole  duty,  and  be  a  complete  Christian." — 
Christian  Treasury. 

The  King  of  Navarre. — It  is  recorded  of  the  King 
of  Navarre,  then  a  Protestant,  that  being  pressed  by 
Beza  to  appear  more  in  the  cause  of  God,  and  to  own 
religion  to  more  purpose,  he  made  answer  to  this  effect ; 
that  he  was  their  friend,  but  he  resolved  to  put  no  fur- 
ther to  sea  than  he  might  get  to  shore  if  a  storm  should 
arise ;  he  resolved  not  to  hazard  his  hopes  of  the  crow^n 
of  France,  and  it  is  well  known  what  became  of  him. 
So  when  men  will  make  religion  as  twelve,  and  the  world 
as  thirteen,  it  is  no  marvel  if,  with  Demas,  they  forsake 
the  cause  of  Grod  and  embrace  the  world ;  and  with 
those  potters,  in  1  Cliron.,  had  rather  work  with  the 
King  for  good  wages,  than  build  up  the  house  of  the 
Lord. ' ' — Spencer. 

As  IT  IS  WITH   THE  BODY,  SO  is  it  with  the  spirit. 

18 


206  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

When  the  extremities  are  cold  and  languid,  the  defect 
has  its  beginnings  in  the  heart.  There  is  life,  but  a  de- 
ficiency of  vital  power.  The  circulation  is  too  slow  and 
languid.  Such  is  the  true  cause  of  the  Christian's  luke- 
warmness ;  the  same  want  of  vital  power  in*  the  very- 
heart  of  his  religion.  And  the  true  remedy  is,  not  a 
change  of  outward  manner ;  not  assuming  a  set  form 
of  speech ;  not  going  through  a  new  round  of  unfelt 
duties,  hut  the  infusion  of  new  spiritual  power.  Stir  up 
the  central  fire. 

One  lukewarm  Christian  may  do  untold  harm  to  a 
whole  church.  Pour  a  quantity  of  tepid  water  into  a 
vessel  that  contains  boiling  water,  and  immediately  the 
temperature  of  the  whole  will  sink.  Just  so  the  contact 
of  men  who  are  indiiferent  with  those  who  are  fervid, 
deadens  their  fervor,  and  tends  to  reduce  them  to  the 
same  lukewarmness. 

The  Rev.  John  Newton  says  in  his  Cardiphonia, — 
"  Methinks  a  very  different  spirit  from  that  of  the  Church 
of  Laodicea  is  to  be  seen  amongst  us,  though  perhaps  it 
is  not  easy  to  say  which  is  best  of  the  two.  That  was 
neither  cold  nor  hot ;  this  [mirahile  dietu)  is  both  cold 
and  hot  at  once,  and  both  to  the  extreme.  Hot,  hasty, 
and  arbitrary  in  those  few  things  where  mediocrity  is  a 
virtue ;  but  cool  and  remiss  in  those  great  points  where 
the  application  of  the  whole  heart  and  soul  and  mind 
and  strength  is  so  absolutely  necessary  and  so  positively 
enjoined.  Surely  there  is  too  much  room  for  this  ob- 
servation, and  I  perhaps  stand  self-condemned  in  making 
it." 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  207 

MATURED  CHRISTIANS. 

Some  of  the  sweetest  drops  in  the  cup  of  life  lie 
at  the  bottom.  Christ  keeps  the  best  wine  till  the 
last. 

"  All  TRADES  have  their  mystery  and  difficulty ;  so 
hath  Christianity.  A  young  carpenter  gives  more  blows 
and  makes  more  chips,  but  an  old  artist  doth  the  most 
and  best  work." — Brooks. 

"  When  the  saints  are  near  the  ocean  of  eternity, 
then  the  rivulets  of  grace  in  their  souls  wax  stronger." 
— Thomas  Cobbett. 

"  Old  Christians  are  much  in  praise." — Romaine. 

"An  old  disciple  is  rich  in  spiritual  experiences. 
Oh,  the  experiences  that  he  hath  of  the  ways  of  God, 
the  workings  of  God,  the  word  of  God,  of  the  love  of 
God !  Oh,  the  pleasant  stories  that  old  Christians  can 
tell  of  the  power  of  the  word,  the  sweetness  of  the 
word,  of  the  usefulness  of  the  word,  as  a  light  to  lead 
the  soul,  as  a  staff  to  support  the  soul,  as  a  spirit  to 
quicken  the  soul,  as  a  cordial  to  comfort  and  strengthen 
the  soul !  Oh,  the  stories  that  he  can  tell  you  concern- 
ing the  love  of  Christ,  the  blood  of  Christ,  the  offices 
of  Christ,  .the  righteousness  of  Christ,  the  graces  of 
Christ,  the  influences  of  Christ !  Oh,  the  stories  that 
an  old  disciple  can  tell  you  of  the  indwellings  of  the 
Spirit,  of  the  teachings  of  the  Spirit,  the  leadings  of 
the  Spirit,  the  sealings  and  witnesses  of  the  Spirit, 
the  comforts  and  joys  of  the  Spirit !  Oh,  the  stories 
that  he  can  tell  you  of  the  snares  of  Satan,  of  the 
devices  of  Satan,  the  rage  and  malice  of  Satan,  and 
the  ways  of  triumphing  over  Satan !  As  an  old  soldier 
can  tell  you  of  many  battles,  many  scars,  many  wounds, 


208  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

many  losses,  and  many  victories,  even  to  admiration  ;  so 
an  old  disciple  can  tell  you  many  divine  stories,  even  to 
admiration. ' ' — Brookes. 

Old  Gottlieb. — ''Some  years  ago,"  says  a  lady, 
"  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  an  old  peasant,  in  a  little 
German  village,  where  I  for  some  time  resided.  He  was 
called  Gottlieb,  a  name  which  has  the  very  beautiful 
signification,  '  The  love  of  God.'  The  old  man  was  well 
worthy  of  it,  for  if  ever  heart  was  filled  with  love  to 
God  and  to  all  God's  creatures,  it  was  his.  Like  most 
of  the  villagers,  he  possessed  one  or  two  apple  and  pear 
trees,  and  used  to  amuse  himself  in  the  summer  by  pick- 
ing up  the  fallen  fruit,  and  heaping  it  up  in  a  corner  of 
the  shed.  Once,  when  walking,  I  came  upon  him  as  he 
was  stooping  to  pick  up  a  fallen  apple.  'Don't  you 
weary,  Gottlieb,'  I  asked,  'stooping  so  often,  and  then 
lying  all  alone  by  the  road-side?'  'No,  no.  Miss,'  he 
answered,  smiling,  and  off'ering  me  a  handful  of  ripe 
pears.  '  I  don't  weary ;  I'm  just  waiting — waiting.  I 
think  I'm  about  ripe  now,  and  I  must  soon  fall  to  the 
ground ;  and  then,  just  think,  the  Lord  will  pick  me  up ! 
Oh,  Miss,  you  are  young  yet,  and  perhaps  just  in  blossom, 
turn  well  round  to  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  that  you 
may  ripen  sweet  for  his  service.'  " 

MEANS— USING  THE. 

"  Faith  will  teach  thee  to  use  means  as  God's  ordi- 
nance, but  rely  on  God  to  bless  it.  While  faith's  hand 
is  on  the  plough,  her  eye  is  in  heaven.  Annus,  non  ager, 
facit  fructum,  the  influences  of  heaven,  not  the  tillage 
of  the  husbandman,  make  it  .a  fruitful  year.  Sometimes 
the  physicians  appoint  a  powder  to  be  taken  in  wine  or 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  209 

beer ;  now  'tis  not  the  beer  or  wine  that  does  the  cure, 
but  the  powder,  which  are  only  used  to  convey  and  carry 
it  into  the  stomach.  Thus  mercy  is  handed  over  to  us 
by  the  blessing  of  God  in  the  use  of  means ;  yet  think 
not  the  means  do  it,  but  the  blessing  of  God,  mingled 
with  it,  and  infused  into  it." — Gurnall. 

As  when  a  schoolmaster  would  teach  a  boy  to  read 
gratis,  the  youth  cannot  possibly  attain  to  learning  unless 
he  try  to  understand,  and  apply  his  mind  to  receive  the 
instruction ;  so,  free  as  God's  grace  is,  and  plain  as  the 
way  of  truth  is,  we  must  use  the  means  provided,  or  we 
can  gain  no  benefit. 

Elijah's  prayer,  we  are  told,  was  the  special  cause 
why  the  famine  was  stayed,  and  the  earth  brought  forth 
fruit,  and  yet  we  cannot  believe  that  the  rich  crops 
which  were  reaped,  and  the  harvest  gathered  in,  had  not 
first  been  diligently  sown  by  the  hand  of  the  husband- 
man before ! 

Mahomet  and  the  Camel. — One  evening,  we  are 
told,  after  a  weary  march  through  the  desert,  Mahomet 
was  camping  with  his  followers,  and  overheard  one  of 
them  saying,  ''  I  will  loose  my  camel  and  commit  it  to 
God;"  on  which  Mahomet  took  him  up,  "Friend,  tie 
thy  camel,  and  then  commit  it  to  God;"  ^.  e.,  do  what- 
ever is  thine  to  do,  and  then  leave  the  issue  with  God. 

"Providence,"  it  has  been  not  inaptly  said,  "provides 
for  the  provident." 

As  A  PILOT  that  steers  the  ship  has  his  hand  upon  the 
rudder,  and  his  eye  at  the  same  time  upon  the  star  above, 
60  should  we  be  diligent  in  the  use  of  means,  but  look 
up  to  God  for  direction. 

The   Duke   of   Alva   having   once   promised   some 

18  * 


210  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

prisoners  their  lives,  they  petitioned  him  for  food.  His 
answer  was,  that  he  would  give  them  life,  but  no  meat. 
And  in  consequence,  they  all  died.  This  may  serve  to 
illustrate  alike  the  necessity  of  means,  and  to  contrast 
the  tender  mercies  of  the  wicked  with  the  goodness  of 
our  God,  "who  giveth  to  all  men  liberally  and  upbraideth 
not ;"  whilst,  at  the  same  time,  it  shows  how  naturally 
where  there  is  life,  there  exists  the  desire  to  use  the 
needful  means  to  sustain  and  preserve  it. 

"  We  cannot  command  the  wind,  but  we  can  spread 
the  sails." 

Unlawful  means  may  sometimes  prosper,  but  they 
are  never  blessed. 

"Man  hath  two  apprehensive  instruments,  his  hand 
and  his  heart,  and  there  lie  before  him  two  objects,  the 
Divine  providence  and  ordinary  means ;  this  natural, 
that  supernatural." — T.  Adams. 

MEEKNESS 

— "  IS  Love  at  school." — Br.  Hamilton. 

"  The  Hebrew  word  that  signifies  afflicted  and  meek 
grow  both  upon  the  same  root,  and  are  of  so  great 
affinity,  that  they  are  sometimes  by  the  Septuagint 
rendered  the  one  for  the  other,  as  Psalm  xxxvii.  11." — 
Trapp. 

"  He  that  can  kindly  melt  in  God's  presence,  will  bo 
made  thereby  as  meek  as  a  lamb ;  and  if  God  forgive 
him  his  ten  thousand  talents,  he  will  not  think  much  to 
forgive  his  brother  a  few  farthings." — Trapp. 

There  is  nothing  lost  by  meekness  and  yielding. 
Abraham  yields  over  his  right  of  choice ;  Lot  taketh  it. 
And  behold,  Lot  is  crossed   in  that  which  he  chose. 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  211 

Abraham  blessed  in  that  which  was  left  him.  ...  As 
heaven  is  taken  by  violence,  so  is  earth  with  meekness. 
And  God  (the  true  proprietary)  loves  no  tenants  better, 
nor  grants  larger  leases  to  any  than  the  meek." — 
Trapp. 

"  Meekness  is  imperfect  if  it  be  not  active  and  passive 
— if  it  will  not  enable  us  to  subdue  our  own  passions  and 
resentments,  as  well  as  qualify  us  to  bear  patiently  the 
passions  and  resentments  of  others." 

False  Meekness. — "  In  the  great  battle  of  life,  there 
are  some  men  who  remain  withdrawn  from  the  fierceness 
of  the  struggle,  in  a  retired  and  sheltered  part  of  the 
field.  They  think  this  proves  them  to  be  meek,  but  yet 
it  is  quite  possible  it  may  only  prove  them  to  be  cowards ; 
for  there  is  a  false  meekness,  which  consists  in  submitting 
to  be  driven,  because  we  have  not  the  courage  to  drive." 
— Evangelieal  Magazine. 

"Already  the  soft  song  of  the  meek  sometimes  sub- 
dues the  tumult  of  that  proud  multitude  whom  they  are 
to  dispossess  of  their  glories,  as  the  harpings  of  David 
soothed  the  chafed  spirit  of  the  monarch  whose  throne 
he  was  destined  to  inherit." — Evangelical  Magazdne. 

"  The  meek  need  not  envy  the  lofty  who  sweep  the 
earth  with  their  gay  robes,  any  more  than  real  royalty 
is  jealous  of  the  kingly  hero  who  struts  his  hour  upon 
the  stage.  They  shall  be  princes  and  rulers  .long  after 
these  actors  have  laid  aside  their  tinseled  crowns." — 
Evangelical  Magazine. 

"  How  WONDERFUL  shall  be  the  reversal  when  God 
shall  place  the  last  first,  and  the  first  last.  Moralists 
have  often  pointed  us  to  the  ruler  of  a  hundred  broad 
kingdoms,  lying  down  at  last  in  six  feet  of  imprisoning 


212  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINaS. 

clay,- but  God  shall  show  us  the  wayside  cottagers  lifted 
into  the  inheritance  of  the  Universe." — Evangelical 
Magazine. 

"It  requires  the  same  grace,"  says  John  Newton, 
''to  bear  with  a  right  spirit  a  cross  word  as  a  cross  in- 
jury; the  breaking  of  a  china  plate  as  the  death  of  an 
only  son." 

The  elder  tree. — "This  timber  is  the  softest,  and 
can,  without  difficulty,  be  split,  cut,  and  wrought;  and 
yet  experience  proves  that  it  does  not  rot  in  water.  The 
greater  part  of  the  city  of  Venice  stands  upon  piles  of 
elder,  which  sunk  in  the  sea,  form  the  foundation  of 
massive  buildings.  It  is  the  same  with  meek  hearts. 
There  is  no  better  foundation  for  important  undertakings 
of  public  or  private  utility,  than  that  intelligent  modesty 
which  is  gentle  indeed,  and  ready  to  yield,  as  far  as  a 
good  conscience  will  allow,  but  which,  nevertheless,  lasts 
and  continues  stable  in  the  flood  of  contradiction.  Lord 
Jesus,  thou  wert  meek  and  humble  in  heart,  and  on  thy 
love  and  meekness  the  fabric  of  our  salvation  was  founded, 
and  still  subsists.  Wert  not  thou  meek  and  patient,  how 
could  qjiy  of  us  be  saved?  Give  to  me  a  meek  and  lov- 
ing heart,  and  let  this  be  the  foundation  of  all  my  inter- 
course with  men." — CrottJioMs  Emblems. 

Archbishop  Leighton. — Bishop  Burnet  records  it  of 
him,  that  during  a  strict  intimacy  of  many  years,  he  had 
never  seen  him  for  one  moment,  in  any  other  temper 
than  that  in  which  he  would  wish  to  live  and  die. 

Flavel. — This  eminently  holy  man  and  well-known 
writer,  did  not  escape  the  misfortunes  of  his  times.  In 
the  year  1685,  his  effigy  was  carried  through  the  streets 
of  Dartmouth,  accompanied  by  the   magistrates.     And 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  213 

yet)  so  meek  was  he,  that  at  the  moment  the  effigy  was 
burning,  he  was  praying  for  the  town,  and  the  news 
reached  him  at  the  conclusion  of  his  prayer.  He  still 
went  on  praying,  and  added,  "Father,  forgive  them;  for 
they  know  not  what  they  do." — (Luke  xxiii.  34.) 

Christ  the  perfect  example. — "There  is  a  height 
of  moral  greatness  to  which  language  may  be  fitting 
which  we  should  condemn  on  ordinary  lips.  What  in  us 
would  be  boasting,  was  in  Christ  simply  self-conscious- 
ness. We  could  not  with  any  complacency  hear  a  fellow- 
creature  speak  of  his  own  humility,  for  it  would  seem  to 
discover  the  absence  of  the  very  virtue  to  which  he  laid 
claim;  yet  there  are  no  more  comforting  words  in  the 
whole  Gospel,  than  that  gracious  sentence — 'Learn  of 
me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart,  and  ye  shall  find 
rest  unto  your  souls.'"  (Matthew  xi.  29.) — Evangelical 
Magazine. 

"As  WE  do  not  keep  tinder  in  every  box  in  the  house, 
so  we  do  not  keep  the  sense  of  anger  in  every  faculty. 
When  one  comes  against  the  door  of  some  facilities  with 
an  injury,  we  look  over  the  railing  and  say, — 'I'll  for- 
give you  for  that,  for  you  did  not  get  in."  But  by-and- 
by  when  the  faculty  where  we  are  sensitive  is  entered, 
then  we  grind  our  teeth  and  say, — '  I  could  have  forgiven 
him  for  anything  but  that!'  We  must  not  arrogate  to 
ourselves  a  spirit  of  forgiveness,  until  we  have  been 
touched  to  the  quick  where  we  are  sensitive,  and  borne 
it  meekly;  and  meekness  is  not  mere  white-facedness,  a 
mere  contemplative  virtue;  it  is  maintaining  peace  and 
patieritee  in  the  midst  of  pelting  provocations." — Beecher. 

Sir  Matthew  Hale. — "When  Sir  Matthew  Hale  dis- 
missed a  jury,  because  he  was  convinced  that  it  had  been 


214  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

illegally  chosen  to  favor  the  Protector,  the  latter  was 
highly  displeased  with  him ;  and  when  Sir  Matthew  re- 
turned from  the  circuit,  Cromwell  told  him  in  anger  that 
he  was  not  fit  to  be  a  judge;  to  which  all  the  answer 
that  he  made  was,  that  it  was  very  true.'' — Christian 
Treasury. 

Matthew  Henry  was  eminent  for  his  meek  and 
Christian  spirit  under  injuries.  One  of  his  favorite  say- 
ings was,  "How  pleasant  it  is  to  have  the  bird  in  the 
bosom  sing  sweetly." 

MEETNESS  FOR  HEAVEN 

— IS  the  moulding  and  shaping  of  the  earthen  vessel, 
by  the  hands  of  the  potter,  for  the  palace  of  the  King 
above. 

"  Heaven  must  be  begun  below,  in  all  those  who  will 
enjoy  its  perfection  above.  Heaven  is  a  place  of  charac- 
ter; the  full  development  of  those  principles  and  dispo- 
sitions which  are  received  and  cherished  upon  earth,  by 
the  knowledge  of  Jesus  and  the  teaching  of  his  Spirit. 
No  child  on  its  first  introduction  to  a  school  is  placed  in 
the  highest  class,  but  in  one  or  other  of  the  lower,  where 
the  first  elements  of  a  future  education  are  imparted, 
and  the  necessary  groundwork  is  laid  for  the  more  matured 
instructions  which  successively  follow;  the  one  must  pre- 
cede the  other;  there  is  an  unalterable  connection  be- 
tween them ;  as  much  so,  and  as  absolutely  essential,  as 
between  the  bud  and  the  blossom  of  a  tree,  and  the  fruit 
which  is  to  follow;  or  between  the  state  of  infancy  and 
that  of  full-grown  manhood;  the  first  of  necessity  goes 
before  the  other.  As  well  therefore  might  we  expect  to 
reach  the  fruit  from  any  tree,  where  no  buds  and  bios- 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  215 

soms  were  previously  formed,  as  expect  admission  into 
heaven  without  being  '  created  anew  in  Christ  Jesus  unto 
good  works,'  and  made  to  possess  the  tempers,  learn  the 
principles,  and  imbibe  the  dispositions  of  its  blessed  in- 
habitants; while,  like  them,  we  seek  our  happiness  from 
'that  river  of  joy'  which  waters  the  city  of  our  God." — 
Salter. 

There  are  two  things  essential  to  a  man's  enjoying 
a  performance  of  good  music : — He  must  have  a  ticket 
of  admission  to  the  music  hall ;  and  also  he  must  have  a 
taste  for  music.  Bofh  these  are  essential.  One  would 
be  useless  without  the  other.  So  the  believer  must  have 
both  the  title  to  heaven  and  the  meetness  for  it.  Neither 
alone  could  qualify  him  for  a  holy  heaven. 

The  great  glory  of  heaven  will  be  a  moral  glory. 
— "  There  is  naught  there  but  the  transparent  element 
of  goodness."  "  There  may  be  palms  of  triumph,  I  do 
not  doubt;  there  may  be  crowns  of  unfading  lustre; 
there  may  be  pavements  of  emerald ;  there  may  be  rivers 
of  pleasure  and  groves  of  surpassing  loveliness,  and 
palaces  of  delight,  and  high  arches  in  heaven,  which  ring 
with  sweetest  melody :  but  mainly  and  essentially  it  is  a 
moral  glory  which  is  lighted  up  there;  it  is  virtue  which 
blooms,  and  is  the  myrtle  there ;  it  is  true  goodness  by 
which  the  spirits  of  the  holy  are  regaled  there ;  it  is  this 
that  forms  the  beatitude  of  eternity.  The  righteous, 
dying  now,  when  they  rise  again  shall  be  righteous  still 
— have  heaven  already  in  their  bosoms ;  and  when  they 
enter  its  portals,  they  carry  the  very  being  and  substance 
of  its  blessedness  along  with  them ;  the  character  which 
is  the  whole  of  heaven's  worth — the  character  which  is 
the  very  essence  of  heaven's  enjoyment." — Chalmers. 


216  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

Full  dress  before  the  King. — "In  one  respect 
there  is  some  resemblance  betwixt  the  custom  of  the 
court  of  princes  and  of  heaven.  No  admittance  into 
the  latter  as  well  as  the  former  unless  in  full  dress. 
Every  soul  who  enters  perfect  bliss  must  have  on  the  re- 
splendent robe  of  Christ's  righteousness,  bj  imputation; 
this  is  absolutely  necessary,  to  have  a  seat  in  the  court 
of  heaven." — Toplady. 

Dazzled  sight. — We  may  illustrate  what  would  be 
the  misery  of  a  sinner  could  he  be  permitted  to  enter 
heaven  in  his  sins,  by  an  ancient  and  cruel  custom.  It 
was  the  barbarous  practice  of  a  cruel  king  to  torture  his 
unhappy  prisoners,  by  confining  them  sometimes  in  a 
dark  dungeon,  and  then,  the  eyelids  being  cut  off,  bring- 
ing them  suddenly  into  the  full  blaze  of  the  sun,  when 
shining  in  its  full  power.  The  result  of  course  was,  the 
most  excruciating  pain  and  instant  blindness.  The  organ 
of  vision  was  wholly  unfitted  for  the  change.  Such  re- 
sult may  form  some  illustration  of  what  would  be  the 
torture  of  a  sinner,  could  he  be  admitted  unprepared  into 
the  dazzling  splendor  of  that  world,  whose  glory  is  above 
the  sun. 

"It  is  worth  something,"  says  Oliver  Heywood, 
"to  be  in  a  readiness  for  mercy,  for  afflictions,  for  death, 
or  for  judgment,  as  those  who  are  meet  for  heaven.  The 
speech  of  Basil  was  noble,  when  Modestus,  the  prefect, 
threatened  confiscation,  torment,  and  banishment;  he 
answered,  '  He  need  not  fear  confiscation  that  hath 
nothing  to  lose ;  nor  banishment,  to  whom  heaven  only 
is  a  country;  nor  torment  when  his  body  would  be 
crushed  with  one  blow ;  nor  death,  which  is  the  only  way 
to  set  him  at  liberty.'     Polycarp  was  ready  for  beasts, 


ILLUSTRATI-fE   GATHERINGS.  217 

or  any  kind  of  death,  because  he  was  ready  for  heaven ; 
for  as  the  Christian  is  delivered  from  danger  by  death, 
so  from  the  fear  of  death.  {Heh.  ii.  15.)  Death  itself 
is  the  daybreak  of  eternal  brightness  to  the  child  of  God ; 
and  is  not  this  worth  thanking  God  for?" 

MEMORY 

— "  IS  the  friend  of  wit,  but  the  treacherous  ally  of  in- 
vention, and  there  are  many  books  which  owe  their  suc- 
cess to  two  things, — the  good  memory  of  those  who  write 
them,  and  the  bad  memory  of  those  who  read  them." — 
Many  Thoughts  on  many  Things. 

has  been  thus   defined — "  The  bane  of  the 

wicked — the  home  of  the  past — the  mind's  magnetic 
telegraph — the  moonlight  of  the  mind,  touching  the  ruins 
of  the  past  with  a  softened  light." — Family  Friend. 

Memory,  the  daughter  of  Attention,  is  the  teeming 
mother  of  Wisdom. 

Memory  should  be  a  store-house,  not  a  lumber-room. 

"  Our  memories,  corrupted  by  the  Fall,  are  often 
like  those  ponds  where  frogs  live  and  the  fish  die." — 
Cripplegate  Lectures. 

"Many  have  large  but  unsanctified  memories,  which 
serve  only  to  gather  knowledge  whereby  to  aggravate 
their  condemnation." — Boston. 

"  Who  ever  knew  a  miser  forget  where  he  had  buried 
his  gold  ? 

"  'I  NEVER  FORGET.' — Strange  !  yea,  sad  indeed,  that 
sinners  can  make  this  their  boast,  when  they  threaten 
to  revenge  an  injury;  and  yet  they  forget  God,  who 
has  shown  them  such  unmeasured  mercy,  days  without 
number." 

19 


218  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

"  Grace  makes  a  good  heart-memory,  even  where 
there  is  a  bad  head-memory.'* — Boston. 

The  BEST  CURE  FOR  A  BAD  MEMORY. — ''Many  are 
discouraged  from  studying  the  Scriptures  because,  as 
they  say,  their  memories  are  so  treacherous  and  unfaith- 
ful, they  can  retain  nothing.  More  pains  will  supply 
this  defect.  Memory  is  the  soul's  steward,  and  if  thou 
fiftdest  it  unfaithful,  call  ii  the  oftener  to  account.  A 
vessel  set  under  the  fall  of  a  spring,  cannot  leak  faster 
than  it  is  supplied.  A  constant  dropping  of  the  heavenly 
doctrine  into  the  memory  will  keep  it  though  it  be  leaky, 
yet  it  never  shall  be  empty.  If  Scripture  truths  do  not 
enrich  the  memory,  yet  they  may  purify  the  heart.  .  .  . 
I  have  heard  of  one  who,  returning  from  an  aftecting 
sermon,  highly  commended  it  to  some,  and  being  de- 
manded what  he  remembered  of  it,  answered,  '  Truly,  I 
remember  nothing  at  all ;  but  only  while  I  heard  it,  it 
made  me  resolve  to  live  better,  and  so  by  God's  grace  I 
will.'  To  the  same  purpose  I  have  somewhere  read  a 
story  of  one  who  complained  to  an  aged  holy  man  that 
he  was  much  discouraged  from  reading  the  Scriptures, 
because  he  could  fasten  nothing  on  his  memory  that  he 
had  read.  The  old  man  bade  him  take  an  earthen  pitcher 
and  fill  it  with  water ;  when  he  had  done  it,  he  bade  him 
empty  it  again  and  wipe  it  clean  that  nothing  should 
remain  in  it ;  which  when  the  other  had  done,  and  won- 
dered to  what  this  tended,  'Now,'  said  he,  'though  there 
be  nothing  of  the  water  remaining  in  it,  yet  the  pitcher 
is  cleaner  than  it  was  before ;  so  though  thy  memory 
retain  nothing  of  the  word  thou  readest,  yet  thy  heart 
is  the  cleaner  for  its  very  passage  through." — Hopkins. 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERmGS.  219 

MERCY  OF  GOD. 

"  Mercy  is  the  spring  of  God's  long-suffering ;  for- 
giveness is  the  activity  of  this  mercy ;  and  long-suffering 
is  its  quiet  flow." — J.  S.  Evans. 

Must  be  great. — "A  little  mercy  cannot  pardon  the 
least  sin." 

When  carnal  men  talk  of  "hoping"  for  the  "mercy 
of  God,"  they  mean  by  it,  hoping  to  continue  a  little 
longer  in  the  indulgence  of  sin ! 

God's  mercies  are  tender. — They  are  unbounded, 
and  they  are  tender.  Our  mercy  is  not  tender.  What 
little  mercy  you  find  in  man  is  often  harsh  and  hard. 
It  is  not  tender  at  all.  It  is  a  common  saying  among 
us,  "I  forgive,  but  I  do  not  forget."  We  "forgive" 
with  an  air  of  superiority,  superciliously.  There  is  often 
harshness,  hardness,  unkindness,  in  the  way  in  which 
our  mercy  is  bestowed.  You  have  often  received  mercy 
in  such  a  way  as  to  make  you  feel  that  you  had  nearly 
paid  for  it,  in  having  to  suffer  the  rude  unkindly  manner 
in  which  it  was  bestowed.  And  even  when  that  is  not 
BO,  but  when  man  bestows  his  kindness  and  vouchsafes 
his  mercy  in  his  blandest  way,  you  could  never  think  of 
calling  it  tender.  That  would  be  about  the  last  epithet 
you  would  think  of  applying  to  it.  But  God  forgives, 
and  when  he  forgives,  he  does  it  tenderly.  There  is  no 
upbraiding.  He  blots  out  the  transgression,  and  there 
is  no  more  remembrance  of  it  at  all.  He  forgets  as  soon 
as  he  forgives.  It  is  done  in  a  gentle  way.  There  is 
nothing  but  kindness  in  the  glance  of  the  eye,  and 
nothing  but  tenderness  in  the  tone  of  the  voice.  "  Be 
of  good  cheer:  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee."  The  sin  is 
swept  away ;  it  is  cast  behind  his  back  into  the  depths 


220  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

of  the  sea.  He  says  to  a  weeping  woman,  "  She  has 
been  forgiven  much,  and  therefore  she  loveth  much." 
To  another,  "  Go  in  peace."     And  when  Saul  of  Tarsus 

'  is  persecuting  the  saints  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  the  Lord 
comes  down  to  pardon  him,  he  says,  '■^  It  is  hard  for  thee : 
thou  persecutest  me;  but  it  is  hard /or  ^Aee."  God's 
mercies  are  very  tender. 

Rich  in  mercy. — G.  R.,  in  *'The  Victory  Won," 
said  to  Miss  Marsh,  one  morning,  when  she  called  upon 
him, — "  How  beautiful  is  that  expression  !  If  God  had 
not  been  'rich  in  mercy,'  we  should  have  exhausted  it 

*long  ago." 

Casting  ourselves  upon  God's  mercy. — "When 
all  means  are  strengthless  and  dead,  and  yet  the  mercy 
comes,  'Oh,'  says  a  soul,  'now  I  see  that  God  is  God 
Almighty,  God  all-sufficient.'  '  She  that  is  a  widow  and 
desolate,'  saith  the  Apostle,  'trusteth  in  God.'  We 
seldom  trust  in  God  till  a  desolation  comes  upon  the 
means,  then  we  learn  to  trust  in  God.  So  long  as  one 
who  is  learning  to  swim,  can  touch  the  bottom,  can  touch 
the  earth  with  his  foot,  he  does  not  commit  himself  to 
the  stream ;  but  when  he  can  feel  no  bottom,  then  he 
commits  himself  to  the  mercy  of  the  waves.  Now,  so 
long  as  a  man  can  stand  upon  the  second  cause,  and  can 
feel  the  bottom  with  his  feet,  he  does  not  commit  him- 
self to  the  stream  of  mercy ;  but  once  the  second  cause 
is  gone,  and  he  cannot  feel  the  bottom,  then  he  commits 
himself  to  the  stream  of  mercy." — Salter. 

Mercy  super-abounding. — "A  mariner  in  a  storm 
would  very  fain  save  his  goods,  but  to  save  the  ship  he 
heaves  them  overboard.  A  tender-hearted  mother  cor- 
rects her  child,  whereas  the  stripes  are  deeper  in  her 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  221 

heart  than  in  its  flesh.  As  it  was  said  of  a  judge,  who, 
being  to  give  sentence  of  death  upon  an  oiFender,  '  I  do 
that  good  which  I  would  not.'  Thus,  God,  more  loving 
than  the  careful  mariner,  more  tender  than  the  indulgent 
mother,  and  more  merciful  than  the  pitiful  judge,  is 
willingly  unwilling  that  any  sinner  should  die.  He 
punisheth  no  man  as  he  is  a  man,  but  as  he  is  a  sinful 
man  ;  he  loves  him,  yet  turns  him  over  to  justice.  It  is 
God's  work  to  punish,  but  it  is  withal  his  opus  alienum, 
his  strange  work,  his  strange  and  foreign  act,  not  his 
'eudocliia,  his  good  will  and  pleasure,  his  nature  and 
property  being  to  have  mercy  on  all  men." — Spencer. 

The  greatness  gf  mercy. — "  The  molten  sea,  the 
shew-bread,  the  sweet  incense,  the  smoke  of  the  sacrifices, 
Aaron's  breastplate,  the  preaching  of  the  cross,  the  keys 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven :  do  not  all  these  proclaim 
mercy  ?  Who  could  enter  a  sanctuary,  search  conscience, 
look  up  to  heaven,  pray  or  sacrifice,  call  upon  God,  or 
think  of  the  tree  of  life  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of 
God,  if  there  were  no  mercy  ?  Do  not  all  visions,  cove- 
nants, promises,  messages,  mysteries,  legal  purifications, 
evangelical  pacifications,  confirm  this  ?  Yes  ;  mercy  is 
in  the  air  which  we  breathe,  the  daily  light  which  shines 
upon  us,  the  gracious  rain  of  God's  inheritance ;  it  is 
the  public  spring  for  all  the  thirsty ;  the  copamon  hospital 
for  all  the  needy ;  all  the  streets  of  the  church  are  paved 
with  these  stones :  what  would  become  of  the  children, 
if  there  were  not  these  breasts  of  consolation?  How 
should  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife,  be  trimmed,  if  her 
Bridegrooip.  did  not  deck  her  with  those  habiliments  ? 
How  should  Eden  "appear  like  the  Garden  of  God,  if  it 
were  not  watered  by  these  rivers  ?  It  is  mercy  that  takes 
19  * 


222  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

US  out  of  the  womb,  feeds  us  in  the  days  of  our  pilgrim- 
age, furnishes  us  with  spiritual  provision,  closes  our  eyes 
in  peace,  and  translates  us  to  a  secure  resting-place.  It  is 
the  first  petitioner's  suit,  and  the  first  believer's  article, 
the  contemplation  of  Enoch,  the  confidence  of  Abraham, 
the  burden  of  the  Prophetic  Songs,  and  the  glory  of  all 
the  apostles,  the  plea  of  the  penitent,  the  ecstacies  of 
the  reconciled,  the  believer's  hosanna,  the  angel's  hal- 
lelujah. Ordinances,  oracles,  altars,  pulpits,  the  gates 
of  the  grave,  and  the  gates  of  heaven,  do  all  depend 
upon  mercy.  It  is  the  load-star  of  the  wandering,  the* 
ransom  of  the  captive,  the  antidote  of  the  tempted, 
the  prophet  of  the  living,  and  the  efi*ectual  comfort 
of  the  dying : — there  would  not  be  one  regenerate  saint 
upon  earth,  nor  one  glorified  saint  in  heaven,  if  it  were 
not  for  mercy." 

MERCIES. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  mercies — mercies  in  hand 
and  inercies  in  hope. 

"  If  the  end  of  one  mercy  were  not  the  beginning  of 
another,  we  were  undone." — P.  Senry. 

"  I  believe  that  God  often  permits  me  to  be  chast- 
ened by  my  sin,  because  I  do  not  make  use  of  my 
mercies." — J..II.  Evans, 

We  often  lose  our  mercies  by  loving  them  too  well, 
as  the  ball  of  snow  is  melted  by  the  warmth  of  the  hand 
that  holds  it;  or  a  rose  is  spoilt  by  pressing  it  too 
tightly. 

God  often  sends  judgments,  because  we  will  not  own 
his  hand  of  mercy. 

Special  mercies  call  us  to  special  duties.     It  is  just 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  223 

that  he  who  holds  the  largest  farm,  should  pay  the 
largest  rent. 

The  tears  of  our  misery  often  prevent  our  eyes  from 
seeing  the  mercy  close  at  hand. 

All  our  creature  comforts  are  either  weights  or  wings 
— harmful  or  helpful — as  we  use  them.  Let  it  be  re- 
membered that  one  reason  that  God  so  often  takes  away 
the  good  things  he  once  gave  his  people,  is  because  they 
will  make  them  weights  instead  of  wings.  They  love 
and  enjoy,  and  yield  themselves  up  to  those  things, 
which  were  meant  to  be  tasted  rather  than  consumed, 
and  God  would  have  his  people  rise.  The  sand-bags  of 
the  balloon  must  therefore  be  cp.st  overboard.  The 
weights  must  be  changed  to  wings,  the  loss  must  be  made 
a  gain. 

"Every  enjoyment  too  keenly  relished  makes  us 
poor  in  a  spiritual  sense.  I  quite  understand  that  one 
might  say  with  truth,  '  This  arm-chair  has  absorbed 
within  its  luxurious  cushions,  S9me  portion  of  my  spirit- 
uality.' " — Vinet. 

"  The  best  and  surest  way  to  have  any  outward  mercy 
is  to  be  content  to  want  it.  Nothing  sets  God's  mercies 
further  off,  than  want  of  becoming  submission  to  want 
them. ' ' — A  Heine. 

"  Those  who  live  upon  God  in  the  use  of  the  creature, 
can  live  also  upon  him  in  the  loss  of  the  creature. 
That  was  a  noble  expression  of  a  truly  noble  Christian, 
— '  Whatsoever  I  thankfully  receive,  as  a  token  of  God's 
love  to  me,  I  part  with  contentedly,  as  a  token  of  my 
love  to  him.'  " 

"  If  God  sees  it  meet  to  withdraw  comforts  from  you, 
you  must  see  it  your  duty,  and  endeavor  to  make  it  your 


224  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

practice,  to  withdraw  your  hearts  from  these  comforts." 
— TheopMlus  Gale. 

As  USING  BUT  NOT  ABUSING. — "We  may  possess 
earthly  comforts,  but  we  must  not  be  possessed  by  them ; 
we  may  use  them  as  flowers  to  smell,  but  not  as  garlands 
to  crown  ourselves  with ;  we  may  as  pilgrims  walk  with 
them,  as  staves  in  our  hands,  seeking  the  country  which 
is  above ;  but  we  may  not  load  ourselves  with  them,  or 
bear  them  as  burdens  upon  our  backs  ;  we  may  make 
them  our  encouragement,  but  not  our  confidence ;  we 
may  use  them  as  accessories,  but  we  may  not  love  them 
as  our  principal  happiness.  As  bees  though  they  live  in 
the  midst  of  honey  and  wax,  yet  have  not  their  wings 
touched  with  any  viscous  matter,  that  hinder  their  de- 
lightful flight  abroad  and  their  nimble  passing  from  one 
flower  to  another  ;  so  should  Christians  that  live  in 
the  abundance  of  earthly  comforts,  as  in  a  hive  of  sweet- 
ness, be  exceeding  careful  that  nothing  of  the  world  do 
cleave  to  their  aff'ections,  which  are  the  wings  of  the 
soul,  that  may  hinder  lifting  up  and  raising  their  hearts 
towards  heavenly  objects,  or  abate  the  activity  of  their 
thoughts  in  their  frequent  musings  upon  promises  and  all 
the  mysteries  of  the  Gospel,  on  which  the  mind,  above 
all  other  things,  ought  to  be  the  most  exercised  and  de- 
lighted. ' ' — Spurstowe. 

God's  ORDINARY  mercies  demand  our  THANKFUL- 
NESS.— "  Many  Httle  items  make  together  a  great  sum. 
What  less  than  a  grain  of  sand,  yet  what  heavier  than 
the  sand  on  the  sea-shore  ?  As  little  sins,  such  as  are 
vain  thoughts  and  idle  words,  because  of  their  multitude, 
arise  to  a  great  guilt,  and  will  bring  in  a  long  bill,  a 
heavy  reckoning  at  last ;  so  ordinary  mercies,  what  they 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  225 

want  in  their  size  (particularly  and  individually  consid- 
ered) of  some  other  greater  mercies,  they  have  it  com- 
pensated in  their  number.  Who  will  not  say  that  a  man 
shows  as  great,  yea,  greater  kindness  to  maintain  one  at 
his  table  with  ordinary  fare  all  the  year,  as  in  entertain- 
ing him  at  a  great  feast  twice  or  thrice  in  the  same 
time  ?" — G-urnall. 

Mercies,  even  when  unfinished,  demand  our 
THANKFULNESS. — "  We  must  not  make  God  stay  for  our 
praises  till  he  hath  finished  a  mercy,  but  praise  him  at 
the  beginning  of  a  mercy ;  we  should  be  as  ready  to  re- 
turn our  praises  for  a  mercy  as  God  is  to  hear  our 
prayers  when  begging  for  a  mercy.  Now,  God  comes 
forth  early  to  meet  a  praying  soul.  '  At  the  beginning  of 
thy  supplications  the  commandment  came  forth.'  Dan. 
ix.  23.  '  I  said  I  would  confess  my  transgression,  and 
thou  forgavest.'  Psalm  xxxii.  Thus  should  we  echo 
in  our  thankfulness,  to  the  first  intimation  that  God  gives 
in  his  providence  of  an  approaching  mercy.  If  you  do 
hut  hear  when  the  King  is  on  his  road  toward  your  town, 
you  raise  your  hells  to  ring  him  in,  and  stay  not  till  he  he 
entered  the  gates.  The  birds  they  rise  betimes  in  the 
morning,  and  are  saluting  the  rising  sun  with  their  sweet 
notes  in  the  air.  Thus  should  we  strike  up  our  harps  in 
praising  God  at  the  first  appearance  of  a  mercy." — 
Ihid. 

All  mercies  demand  our  thankfulness.  "  There 
are  bitter  mercies  and  sweet  mercies ;  some  mercies  God 
gives  in  wine,  some  in  wormwood.  Now  we  must  praise 
God  for  the  bitter  mercies  as  well  as  the  sweet ;  thus 
Job,  ^  The  Lord  gave  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away: 
blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lm^d.'     Too  many  are  prone 


226  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

to  think  nothing  is  a  mercy  that  is  not  sweet  in  the  going 
down  and  leaves  not  a  pleasant  farewell  on  the  palate ; 
but  this  is  the  childishness  of  our  spirits,  which,  as  grace 
grows  more  manly  and  the  Christian  more  judicious,  will 
wear  off.  Who  that  understands  himself,  will  value  a 
book  hy  the  gilt  on  the  cover  ?  Truly  none  of  our  tem- 
porals (whether  crosses  or  enjoyments)  considered  in 
themselves  abstractly,  are  either  a  curse  or  mercy ;  they 
are  only  as  the  covering  to  the  book ;  it  is  what  is  writ 
in  them  that  must  resolve  us  whether  they  be  a  mercy 
or  not.  Is  it  an  affliction  that  lies  on  thee  ?  if  thou 
canst  find  it  comes  from  love,  and  ends  in  grace  and 
holiness,  it  is  a  mercy  though  it  be  bitter  to  thy  taste." 
—Ibid. 

Believer  !  look  not  so  much  to  the  mercies  of  God 
as  to  the  God  of  mercies.  It  is  said  of  Socrates,  a 
heathen,  that  he  prized  the  king's  countenance  more 
than  his  coin.  How  much  more  should  it  be  true  of 
thee! 

Gregory  Nazianzen  used  to  say, — "  If  I  have  any 
earthly  possessions,  health,  credit,  learning,  &c.,  the  only 
contentment  I  derive  from  them  is,  that  I  have  something 
I  may  despise  for  Christ.  The  Christian  in  this  view, 
finds  in  what  the  world  may  call  his  pedestal,  a  Bethel 
to  raise  him  towards  heaven.  The  higher  he  may  thus, 
in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  be  lifted,  the  deeper  his  hu- 
mility  before  the  Lord.  He  exults  in  his  possessions, 
not  because  he  can  hold  them,  but  because  he  can  divest 
himself  of  them.  Each  quality  may  thus  become  a  test 
to  prove  his  own  faithfulness.  Do  I  take  glory  to  my- 
self, the  soul  should  say,  then  these  qualities  are  my  pit- 
falls.    But  do  I  see  my  Saviour  in  them,  and  rest  con- 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  227 

tented  in  them,  only  so  far  as  they  can  be  separated  from 
self  and  attached  to  him ;  then  I  may  rejoice  that  thus 
I  may  minister  to  the  Lord." 

Small  mercies. — "  I  went  the  other  day  to  see  a  very 
old  lady.  She  was  eighty-eight  years  old.  She  lived 
in  a  small  room,  all  by  herself,  and  she  had  a  small  fire 
and  small  kettles,  and  a  small  pantry,  and  a  little  round 
table,  and  a  little  teapot.  Everything  was  on  a  small 
scale,  to  suit  her  small  strength  and  her  small  means. 
She  was  very  glad  to  see  us. 

"  '  Are  you  not  lonely  sometimes  ?'  I  asked. 

^' '  Oh,  no,' she  answered,  in  a  cheerful  tone;  'the 
Lord  Jesus  is  always  with  me ;  and  he  is  the  best  soci- 
ety, you  know.' 

''  We  inquired  about  her  nights  ;  did  she  sleep  well  ? 

"  '  Yes,'  she  said ;  but  she  arose  early,  at  five  o'clock, 
or  thereabouts.  We  expressed  our  surprise.  'Well, 
my  Saviour,  you  know,  arose  a  great  while  before  day 
to  pray,  and  I  find  it  so  sweet  to  follow  his  example ; 
and  when  the  moon  shines,  and  I  don't  have  to  light 
a  light,  I  have  such  beautiful  times ;'  and  her  aged  face 
shone,  I  thought,  something  as  Moses'  did  when  he  came 
down  from  talking  with  God  on  the  mount. 

"  She  bustled  about  and  showed  us  her  old  Bible, 
and  the  quilts  she  made  seventy  years  ago,  and  re- 
lated in  a  lively  style  the  way  things  used  to  be  in  her 
day. 

" '  I  suppose  you  think  a  great  deal  of  those  old  times,* 
we  said. 

"'Yes,'  she  answered.  'Yes;  but  I  think  a  great 
deal  more  of  those  good  times  to  come.' 


228  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

*^  ^  You  have  many  mercies  ;  goodness  and  mercy  seem 
to  crown  your  days.' 

"'Yes,  yes,'  she  exclaimed,  'and  I  count  it  one  of 
my  great  mercies  that  I  can  turn  over  in  my  bed.' 

"  Oh,  I  thought,  how  easy  it  is  for  the  thankful 
heart  to  find  occasions  for  thankfulness."  —  Child's 
l^aper, 

MINISTERS. 

"  A  word  to  a  minister  is  worth  a  word  to  three  or  four  thousand  souls 
sometimes." — M^  Cheyne. 

"It  is  not  great  talents  that  God  blesses,  so  much  as 
great  likeness  to  Jesus.  A  holy  minister  is  an  awful 
weapon  in  the  hand  of  God." — M'- Cheyne. 

"  Be  assured  of  this,  beloved,  there  is  no  preaching, 
like  the  preaching  of  ministerial  sanctity." — J.  M, 
Evans. 

Good  ministers  are  like  fountains,  always  flowing, 
even  though  no  pail  be  under ;  ever  ready,  whether  a 
passer-by  drinks  or  not. 

"  Gospel  ministers  should  not  only  be  like  dials 
on  watches,  or  mile-stones  upon  the  road,  but  like  clocks 
and  larums,  to  sound  the  alarm  to  sinners.  Aaron 
wore  bells  as  well  as  pomegranates,  and  the  prophets 
were  commanded  to  lift  up  their  voice  like  a  trumpet. 
A  sleeping  sentinel  may  be  the  loss  of  the  city." — Bishop 
Eall. 

A  LOVING  MAN  will  always  effect  more  than  a  merely 
learned  man. 

"Where  there  is  idolatrous  worship  of  ministers, 
Christ  always  occupies  a  low  place." — J.  H.  Evans. 

If  a  minister  magnify  his  ofiice,  his  ofiice  will  magnify 
him. 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  229 

"  Never  forget  that  the  end  of  a  sermon  is  the  sal- 
vation of  the  people." — 31^Qheyne. 

"  Do  not  fear  the  face  of  man.  Remember  ho^w 
small  their  anger  will  appear  in  eternity." — M'Cheyne. 

The  length  and  breadth  of  a  preacher  may  thus 
be  represented.  His  length  is  his  measure  in  the  pulpit, 
— his  breadth,  his  conduct  and  character  out  of  it.  A 
man  may  be  very  long,  but  a  mere  talker;  he  may  be 
very  short,  and  well  set." — John  Newton.         ' 

"  Ministers  are  seldom  honored  with  success,  unless 
they  are  continually  aiming  at  the  conversion  of  sin- 
ners."— Owen. 

Luther  used  to  say  the  three  requisites  to  make  » 
minister,  are  prayer,  meditation,  and  temptation. 

Cecil  says,  "  Truth  and  sympathy  are  the  soul  of  an 
effective  minister;"  and  elsewhere  he  says,  "Faith  is  th^ 
mainspring  of  a  minister." 

Daniel  Wilson,  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta,  wrote  to  one 
of  his  sons,  ''  The  great  secret  lies  in  these  three  things, 
— Christ,  immortal  souls,  self-humiliation." 

Dr.  Chalmers  has  well  said  that  valuable  Chris.tian 
teaching  in  a  Christian  community  is'  "  intensive,  rather 
than  informational 

"  They,"  says  Lord  Jeffery,  speaking  in  a  general 
sense,  what  is  eminently  true  of  the  ministers  of  Christ, 
— "  they  who  begin  by  effect  without  labor,  will  end  by 
labor  without  effect." 

A  SERVANT  cannot  live  himself  on  the  food  which  he 
only  prepares  or  serves  up  for  others. 

"  A  DIVINE  ought  to  calculate  his  sermon,  as  an  as- 
tronomer does  his  almanac,  to  the  meridian  of  the  place 
and  people  where  he  lives." — Palmer* 

20 


230  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

The  FAITHFUL  MINISTER. — "  He  will  not  offer  to  God 
of  that  which  costs  him  nothing,  but  takes  pains  afore- 
hand  with  his  sermons.  Having  brought  his  sermon  into 
his  head,  he  labors  to  bring  it  into  his  heart,  before  he 
preaches  it  to  his  people ;  and  surely  that  preaching 
which  comes  from  the  soul  most  works  on  the  soul.  The 
places  of  Scripture  he  quotes  are  pregnant  and  perti- 
nent. The  similes  and  illustrations  are  always  familiar, 
but  never  contemptible.  In  ^  his  opinion  reasons  are  the 
pillars  of  the  fabric  of  a  sermon,  but  similitudes  are  the 
windows  which  give  the  best  light.  He  provideth  not 
only  wholesome  but  plentiful  food  for  his  people.  He 
makes  not  that  wearisome,  which  should  be  ever  welcome ; 
wherefore  his  sermons  are  of  an  ordinary  length,  except 
on  an  extraordinary  occasion.  He  counts  the  success 
of  his  ministry  the  greatest  preferment.  Yet  herein 
Grod  hath  humbled  many  pains-taking  pastors,  in  making 
them  to  be  clouds  to  rain,  not  over  Arabia  the  happy, 
but  over  Arabia  the  desert  and  the  stony. 

"Yet  such  pastors  may  comfort  themselves,  that  great 
is  their  reward  with  God  in  heaven,  who  measures  their 
work,  not  by  their  success,  but  by  their  endeavors.  Yea, 
the  preaching  of  the  word,  in  some  places,  is  like  the 
planting  of  trees,  where,  though  no  profit  is  received  for 
many  years,  it  comes  afterwards. 

"  To  sick  folks  he  comes  sometimes  before  he  is  sent 
for,  as  counting  his  vocation  a  sufficient  calling.  He  is 
careful  in  the  discreet  ordering  of  his  own  family.  He 
is  sociable  and  willing  to  do  any  courtesy  for  his  neigh- 
bor ministers.  Lying  on  his  death-bed,  he  bequeaths  to 
each  of  his  charge  his  precepts  and  example  for  a  legacy, 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  231 

and  they  in  requital  erect  a  monument  for  him  in  their 
hearts." — Thomas  Fuller. 

"  Naturalists  tell  us  that  if  the  loadstone  be  rubbed 
with  garlic,  it  loseth  its  virtue.  When  the  name  of  the 
minister  is  contemptible,  his  doctrine  will  be  the  less  ac- 
ceptable. ' ' — Swinnoek. 

Diversity  of  gifts. — ''  The  discussion  about  gifts 
amounts  very  much  to  a  discussion  whether  the  rifle, 
the  carbine,  the  pistol,  or  the  cannon  is  the  best  weapon. 
Each  is  best  in  its  place.  The  great  point  is,  that  every 
one  shall  use  the  weapon  best  suited  to  him ;  that  he 
charge  it  well,  and  see  that  it  is  in  a  condition  to  strike 
fire." — Rev.  W.  Arthur. 

Poor  paper  may  convey  good  news. 

A  MINISTER  always  AND  EVERYWHERE. — "  The  din- 
ner-party or  the  tea-table  is  not  unfrequently  a  tribunal 
whereat  evidence  is  received  for  or  against  the  ministry. 
If  prayerful  vigilance  attend  us  there,  the  freedom  of 
social  converse  will  grace  our  general  character.  The 
fringe  will  accord  with  and  adorn  the  robe.  But  if  we 
venture  forth  in  another  mood,  and  our  spirit  be, exactly 
the  spirit  of  the  world,  differing  in  nothing  from  that  of 
the  giddiest,  and  contrasting  with  nothing  but  our  own 
studied  solemnity  in  another  place ;  then  may  we  depart 
from  that  house  more  sorrowfully  than  we  entered  it,  for 
we  have  dishonored  our  ministry  rather  than  fulfilled  it. 
The  Philistines  have  bound  us  hand  and  foot,  and  the 
world's  house  of  feasting  has  been  the  house  of  our 
bondage." — Rev.  J.  Thompson. 

Aim  at  individuals. — "  The  scrutiny  which  Christ 
will  make  at  the  last  day  will  not  only  be  into  the  man- 
ner in  which  we  have  dealt  with  the  congregation  as  a 


232  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

whole ;  but  with  the  individuals  of  which  it  is  composed. 
It  is  an  alarming  idea  that  our  responsibility  extends  tc 
every  single  soul." — J.  A.  James. 

Aim  at  conversions. — The  Rev.  J.  A.  James  writes, 
after  a  long  course  of  usefulness, — "  I  am  now  on  the 
verge  of  old  age,  and  the  subject  of  not  a  few  of  its 
infirmities.  It  is  now  some  consolation  to  me  to  recol- 
lect that  amidst  innumerable  defects, — which,  if  affec- 
tion has  concealed  them  from  the  notice  of  my  friends, 
are  humblingly  known  to  myself, — I  have  in  some 
measure  ever  kept  in  view  the  conversion  of  sinners  as 
the  great  end  of  the  Christian  ministry,  and  therefore 
of  mine.  I  started  in  my  preaching  career,  while  yet  a 
student,  with  this  before  my  eyes,  as  the  great  purpose 
for  which  I  entered  the  pulpit." 

Seek  for  success. — Regard  more  the  faithful  dis- 
charge of  duty  than  be  anxious  for  direct  success ;  but, 
as  a  person  of  inquiring  mind  when  he  hears  of  the 
success  of  any  instrument,  say  an  instrument  of  hus- 
bandry, keeps  saying,  "What  is  the  secret  of  its  power?" 
So  let  ministers  be  ever  seeking  to  find  out  the  best  way 
of  working. 

Expect  much. — It  is  a  remark  of  Baxter's  that  he 
never  knew  any  minister  much  honored,  even  though  a 
pious  man,  unless  he  expected  success,  and  had  strong 
faith. 

"  A  great  divine  is  but  a  cant  expression,  unless 
it  signifies  a  man  greatly  advanced  in  the  divine  life, 
whose  own  experience  and  example  are  a  demonstration 
of  the  reality  of  all  the  graces  of  the  gospel." — Wm. 
Law. 

Winning  souls. — Jeanie  Wilson,  the  famous  Christian 


ILLUSTEATIVE    GATHERINGS.  233 

gipsy,  "who  was  eminently  a  "lily  among  thorns,"  one 
day  when  speaking  of  the  need  for  tenderness  in  dealing 
with  unawakened  sinners,  thus  described  it, — "  But  mind, 
you  maun  gang  warily  aboot  it,  for  perishing  souls  are 
just  like  a  man  lying  on  the  brow  of  a  rock,  sleepin'  wi' 
the  sea  below  him.  Eh,  how  canny  you  would  deal  wi' 
a  man  like  this  !  You  would  nae  gie  a  wild  shout,  in 
case  you  wakened  him  in  a  start,  and  he  lost  his  balance. 
Wouldn't  you  try  to  draw  him  afF  to  a  place  o'  safety, 
wi'  great  tenderness  and  affection?"  "jSe  that  winneth 
souls  is  wise."     (Pro v.  xi.  30.) 

An  old  farmer  well  described  the  character  of  a 
minister  whose  sermons  were  much  wanting  in  point, 
"  Ah,  yes  ;  he's  a  good  man,  I'  dare  say,  but  he  will  rake 
with  the  teeth  upwards.'' 

"  The  end  of  preaching,"  says  George  Herbert, 
"is  praying."  A  minister  observing  a  poor  man  by  the 
road-side,  breaking  stones  with  a  pickaxe,  and  kneeling, 
to  get  at  his  work  the  better,  said  to  him,  "  Ah,  John, 
I  wish  I  could  break  the  stony  hearts  of  my  hearers, 
as  easily  as  you  are  breaking  these  stones  !"  _  .The  man 
replied,  "  Perhaps,  master,  you  don't  work  on  your 
knees.''  If  ^#  / 


MIRACLES 

— have  been  well  compared  to  the  tolling  of  the  bell,    ..(i 
to  summon  people  to  church.     So  miracles  were  designeii""""*" 
to  call  attention  to  the  voice  of  God,  speaking  on  some 
unusually  solemn  occasion ;   as  at  the  opening  of  a  new 
dispensation. 

Need  not  be  repeated. — "  What  the  seal  is  upon 
the  lease  or  deed,  the  miracle  is  upon  the  Bible.     And 
20  * 


234  ILLUSTEATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

when  people  say,  '  Would  it  not  be  better  to  have  the 
miracle  repeated  ?'  we  answer,  ^  If  you  once  place 
your  signature  and  the  impression  of  your  seal  upon 
a  deed  or  lease,  lawyers  would  not  think  of  asking 
you  to  come  back  and  repeat  it  once  a  year,  or  once  in 
six  years,  or  twenty  years.  Once  done,  its  significance 
lasts.  So  a  miracle  once  done  as  an  appendage  to 
the  document,  is  never  exhausted." — Illustrations  of 
Truth. 

Not  always  needed. — "A  gardener,  when  he  trans- 
planteth  a  tree  out  of  one  ground  into  another,  before 
the  tree  takes  root  he  sets  stays  to  it,  and  poureth  water 
at  the  root  of  it  daily ;  but  when  it  once  taketh  root, 
he  ceaseth  to  water  it  any  more,  and  pulleth  away  the 
stays  that  he  set  to  uphold  it,  and  suffereth  it  to  grow 
with  the  ordinary  influence  of  the  heavens.  So  the 
Lord  in  planting  religion, — he  put  to  the  help  of  mira- 
cles, as  helps  to  stay  it ;  but  when  it  was  once  confirmed 
and  fastened,  and  had  taken  deep  root,  he  took  away 
such  helps,  so  that,  as  St.  Augustine  hath  it,  '  He  that 
looketh  for  a  miracle  is  a  miracle  himself;  for  if  the 
death  of  Christ  work  not  faith,  all  the  miracles  in  the 
world  will  not  do  it.'  " — Spencer. 

MODERATION. 

"  Pleasure  must  first  have  the  warrant  that  it  is  with- 
out sin;  then  the  measure  that  it  Is  without  excess." — 
Adams. 

"  Leaven  and  Honey  were  both  excluded  under  the 
law,  from  ofiering  by  fire ;  leaven,  for  its  excessive  sour- 
ness ;  honey,  for  its  excessive  sweetness ;  to  show  (saith 
Ainsworth)  that  in  saints  there  should  neither  be  ex- 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  235 

tremitj  of  grief  nor  of  pleasure,  but  a  mediocrity.*' — 
Arrowsmith. 

A  FLOWER  held  gently  in  the  hand  will  retain  its 
shape  and  color  and  beauty ;  but  if  handled  intemper- 
ately,  and  rudely  crushed,  its  sweetness  and  appearance 
must  be  injured.  So  must  we  us^  the  enjoyments  of 
the  world, — hold  them  lightly,  and  use  them  with  mode- 
ration. 

Ever  unpopular. — "  Once  a  gaoler  demanded  of  a 
prisoner,  newly  committed  unto  him,  whether  or  no  he 
were  a  Roman  Catholic?  'No,'  answered  he.  'What, 
then,'  said  he,  'are  you  an  Anabaptist?'  'Neither,' 
replied  the  prisoner.  'What,'  said  the  other,  'are  you 
a  Brownist,  or  a  Quaker?'  'Nor  so,'  said  the  man;  'I 
am  a  Protestant,  without  any  addition,  equally  opposite 
to  all  heretics  and  sectaries.'  '  Then,'  said  the  gaoler, 
*  get  you  unto  the  dungeon.  I  will  afford  no  favor  to 
you,  for  I  shall  get  no  advantage  by  you.  Had  you 
been  of  any  of  the  other  religions,  some  hope  I  had  to 
gain  by  the  visits  of  such  as  are  of  your  own  persuasion, 
whereas  now  you  will  prove  to  me  but  an  unprofitable 
prisoner.'  This  is  the  misery  of  moderation;  I  recall 
my  word  (seeing  misery  properly  must  have  sin  in  it), 
this  is  an  affliction  attending  moderate  men,  that  they 
have  not  an  active  party  to  side  with  them  and  favor 
them.  Men  of  great  stature  will  quickly  be  made  por- 
ters to  a  king ;  and  those  diminutively  little  dwarfs,  to  a 
queen ;  whilst  such  who  are  of  a  middle  height  may  get 
themselves  masters  where  they  can.  The  moderate  man, 
eminent  for  no  excess  or  extravagance  in  his  judgment, 
will  have  few  patrons  to  protect,  or  persons  to  adhere 
unto  him." — T,  Fuller, 


236  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

MORALITY 

— "may  be  compared  to  the  consonants,  piety  to  tho 
vowels ;  the  former  cannot  be  reduced  to  practice  but  by 
means  of  the  latter." 

"  Morality  does  not  make  a  Christian,  yet  no  man  can 
he  a  Christian  without  it." — Bishop  Wilson. 

"  The  morality  of  an  action  depends  on  the  motive 
from  which  we  act.  If  I  fling  half-a-crown  to  a  beggar, 
with  intention  to  hurt  his  head,  and  he  picks  it  up  and 
buys  victuals  with  it,  the  practical  efi'ect  is  good  to  him ; 
but  with  respect  to  me,  it  was  very  bad." 

"  To  GIVE  a  man  a  full  knowledge  of  true  morality,  I 
would  send  him  to  no  other  book  than  the  New  Testa- 
ment."— Locke. 

What  is  generally  meant  by  a  moral  man,  is  one  who 
does  not  govern  himself  by  the  fear  of  God,  or  by  the 
New  Testament,  but  by  the  law  of  the  world,  and  the 
law  of  his  own  sinful  heart. 

The  village  of  Morality. — Bunyan  has  shown  the 
danger  of  seeking  salvation  in  mere  morality,  by  de- 
scribing Mr.  Worldly  Wiseman  (who  dwelt  in  Carnal 
Policy,  near  the  City  of  Destruction),  persuading  Chris- 
tian to  leave  the  right  path  to  the  wicket-gate,  and  take 
the  shorter  cut,  to  lose  his  burden.  In  the  village  of 
Morality,  lived  Mr.  Legality,  a  very  judicious  man, 
famous  for  his  reputed  skill  to  help  pilgrims  off  with 
their  burdens ;  his  house  was  near,  and  should  he  be 
from  home,  his  son.  Civility,  was  as  skillful  as  the  father. 
Poor  Christian  allowed  himself  to  be  misled,  and  suffered 
all  the  terrors  of  Sinai  as  the  result,  till,  in  forbearing 
pity.  Evangelist  drew  near,  and  restored  his  feet  into  the 
proper  way. 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  237 

MORTIFICATION  OF  SIK 

Sin  dwells  in  the  believer,  but  the  believer  does  not 
dwell  in  sin. 

The  sins  of  believers  are  like  weeds  in  a  well-kept 
garden,  which  may  hinder  the  growth  of  the  flowers,  but 
cannot  kill  them,  because  the  gardener  is  always  keep- 
ing them  down. 

A  MAN  who  would  really  live  to  God,  must,^  truly  die 
to  sin.  We  cannot  at  the  same  time  take  part  with  the 
crucified  Saviour  and  his  crucifiers  too. 

"  Those  sins  shall  never  be  a  Christian's  bane  that 
are  now  his  greatest  burden.  It  is  not  falling  into  the 
water,  but  lying  in  the  water  that  drow^ns.  It  is  not 
falling  into  sin,  but  lying  in  sin  that  destroys  the  soul. 
If  sin  and  thy  heart  are  two,  Christ  and  thy  heart  are 
one." — Brooks, 

To  ATTEMPT  to  mortify  sin  by  outward  reformation, 
is  "  altogether  as  incongruous  as  if  a  man  should  lay  a 
plaster  upon  his  clothes  to  cure  a  wound  in  his  body." — 
Hopkins. 

"The  PROMISES  of  God  to  us  are  greater  helps  in 
mortifying  sin  than  our  promises  to  God." — Philip 
Henry. 

Many  seek  for  ease,  instead  of  healing ;  the  believer 
seeks  to  be  cured  rather  than  eased. 

"  Strive  we  what  we  can,  our  corruptions  will  be 
about  us.  But,  beloved,  as  in  a  pyramid,  the  higher 
you  go  the  less  compass  still  you  find  the  body  to  be  of; 
so  in  a  Christian  man's  resurrection  and  conversation 
with  Christ  in  heaven,  the  nearer  he  comes  to  Christ, 
the  smaller  still  his  corruptions  will  be:  and  yet  not 
without  much  spiritual  industry  and  Christian  art.     A 


238  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

Christian  is  like  a  flame,  the  higher  it  ascends,  the  more 
thin,  purified,  and  azure  it  becomes,  and  yet  it  is  a  flame. 
In  green  wood  there  wants  perpetual  blowing  and  encour- 
agement."— Bishop  Reynolds, 

"  He  that  driveth  a  nail  into  a  post,  fasteneth  it  at 
the  first  stroke  that  he  maketh  with  his  hammer ;  but 
more  firmly  at  the  second  stroke;  but  so  fast  at  the 
third,  that  it  can  hardly  be  pulled  out  again ;  and  the 
oftener  that  he  knocketh  it  the  faster  it  sticketh,  and  is 
pulled  out  with  the  greater  difficulty :  so  in  every  one 
of  our  wicked  actions  which  we  do,  sin  is  driven  deeper 
into  our  souls,  as  it  were  with  the  great  hammer  of  God's 
anger:  the  nail  is  sin;  inclination  to  siii  fastens  it, 
delight  in  sin  enters  it  further,  custom  drives  it  further, 
and  habit  sets  it  home  to  the  head ;  and  there  it  sticketh 
so  fast,  that  nothing  in  the  world  can  be  found  out,  but 
only  the  mercies  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  by  which  it  may 
be  healed  and  pulled  out  again." — Spencer. 

"A  man's  arms  are  not  any  burden  to  him,  though 
otherwise  massive  and  weighty ;  but  a  withered  arm  or  a 
limb  mortified  hangeth  like  a  lump  of  lead  on  it.  Thus 
so  long  as  sin  liveth  in  the  soul,  unkilled  wholly  and 
unmortified  as  yet,  so  long  our  corruption  is  nothing  at 
all  cumbersome  unto  us ;  but  when  it  is  once  mortified  in 
a  man,  it  beginneth  to  grow  burdensome  unto  him,  and 
to  hang  like  a  lump  of  dead  flesh  on  his  soul ;  and  then 
beginneth  the  poor  soul,  pestered  and  oppressed  with  the 
weight  of  it,  to  cry  out  with  the  apostle,  '  Oh,  wretched 
man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of 
this  death?'  " — Spencer. 

The  horse  that  draws  its  halter  with  it,  says  the 
proverb,  is  only  half  escaped :  so  long  as  any  remnant 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  239 

of  a  sinful  habit  remains  in  us,  we  make  but  an  idle 
boast  of  our  liberty ;  we  may  any  moment  be  caught  by 
that  which  we  drag  with  us. 

The  Olney  thresher. — I  well  remember,  though 
many  years  ago,  after  an  evening's  prayer-meeting,  on 
conversing  with  my  poor  hard-working  friend,  the  Olney 
thresher,  that  he  mentioned  what  a  severe  conflict  he  had 
met  with  in  the  morning.  He  was  unable  to  procure 
anything  better  for  his  breakfast  than  barley-bread  and 
water.  "But,"  said  he,  "my  rebellious  heart,  aided  by 
the  temptations  of  Satan,  would  not  submit  to  this  poor 
fare.  So  after  arguing  the  matter  over  with  myself,  and 
praying  to  the  Lord  to  strengthen  me,  I  resolved  to 
punish  my  proud  stomach  by  threshing  till  I  became 
hungry  and  thankful;  and  between  eleven  and  twelve 
o'clock,  I  enjoyed  my  breakfast,  and  blessed  the  Lord 
for  my  barley-bread  and  water." 

The  Key.  James  Sherman  used  to  say,  "  I  found  it 
easier  to  preach  a  hundred  sermons,  than  to  conquer  one 
evil  passion." 

MOTIVES. 

There  are  three  sorts  of  moving  principles  to  be 
found,  influencing  the  conduct  of  men.  First,  mere  out- 
ward respects  for  things  worldly  and  outward;  second, 
the  outward  impulses  by  which  natural  conscience  works ; 
third,  there  are  the  kindly,  sweet,  and  gracious  motions 
of  grace  and  holiness  in  a  regenerate  heart.  To  exem- 
plify these  by  three  similitudes :  a  clock  is  moved  by 
weights  that  hang  without  it, — such  are  the  motives  of 
vain-glory,  love  of  praise,-  &c. ;  second,  a  watch  hath  its 
motion  from  within,  yet  this  motion  is  but  extrinsical, 


240  ILLUSTKATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

compared  to  that  which  is  natural.  But,  third,  a  bird 
hath  a  motion  from  an  internal  principle  of  life  and 
power  in  the  wings ;  such  a  principle  is  grace  in  the  re- 
generate soul. 

"  The  end  in  any  action,  though  it  be  the  last  thing 
that  is  actually  attained  and  reached  unto,  yet  must  it  be 
the  first  thing  that  is  espoused  and  thought  upon. 
Before  we  let  the  arrow  go,  we  had  need  take  care 
that  our  eye  be  fixed  upon  the  mark." — Samuel  Cross- 
man. 

"Christianity,"  said  Hannah  More,  "is  a  religion 
of  motives."  ' 

"With  God,  adverbs  shall  have  better  thanks  than 
nouns,  i.  e.,  not  what  we  do,  but  how  we  do  it,  is  the 
grand  question." — Adams. 

"  The  attendant  on  William  Bufus,  who  discharged 
at  a  deer  an  arrow,  which  glanced  against  a  tree  and 
killed  the  King,  was  no  murderer,  because  he  had  no 
such  design.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  a  man  who  should 
lie  in  wait  to  assassinate  another,  and  pull  the  triggef 
of  a  gun  with  that  intent,  would  be  morally  a  murderer, 
not  the  less  though  the  gun  should  chance  to  miss  fire." 
— Archbishop  Whately. 

MURMURING. 

"Repentance  is  the  act  of  Christian  men,  repining  is 
the  act  of  carnal  men." — W.  Seeker. 

Many  persons  are  like  the  murmuring  farmer,  who 
wanted  sunshine  for  his  wheat  and  barley,  and  rain  for 
his  grass  and  turnips,  all  at  the  same  time ! 

"Murmuring  persons  think  everything  done  hy  them- 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  Ii4i 

selves  too  much,  and  everything  done /or  them  too  lit- 
tle."— Dyer. 

"In  the  worst  of  times  there  is  more  cause  to  com- 
plain of  an  evil  heart  than  of  an  evil  world." — 
Fleming. 

"  Make  it  a  rule  never  to  utter  any  unnecessary  com- 
plaint or  murmurs,  but  in  patience  to  possess  your 
souls." — Mrs.  Cameron. 

MYSTERIES. 

"  As  there  is  a  foolish  wisdom,  so  there  ig  a  wise  igno- 
rance in  not  prying  into  God's  ark,  nor  inquiring  into 
things  not  revealed.  I  would  fain  know  all  that  I  need, 
and  all  that  I  may.  I  leave  God's  secrets  to  himself. 
It  is  happy  for  me  that  God  makes  me  of  his  court,  not 
of  his  council." — Bishop  Hall. 

"  Happy  is  the  man  who  is  content  to  traverse  this 
ocean  to  the  haven  of  lest,  without  going  into  the 
wretched  diving-bells  of  his  own  fancies.  There  are 
depths,  but  depths  are  for  God."  (Eph.  i.  5.) — J.  IT, 
Evans. 

"When  I  meet  with  a  depth,  I  stand  upon  the  shore. 
I  do  not  want  to  fathom  the  depths ;  the  ocean  is  to  be 
sailed  over.  I  want  no  diving-bells;  I  can't  live  in 
diving-bells ;  I  want  a  sailing-boat,  to  sail  over  the  ocean 
— ay,  and  to  see  the  glory  of  that  God  who  made  that 
ocean." — J.  H.  Evans. 

"A  revelation  having  nothing  to  reveal  beyond  the 
scope  of  man's  knowledge  and  science,  would  cease  to  be 
a  Divine  revelation.  Its  mysteries  are  to  me  witnesses 
of  its  divinity,  and  I  should  cease  to  believe  in  revela- 
tion, were  the  mysteries  not  there.     They  have,  as  in  the 

21 


242  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

great  book  of  nature,  a  clear  and  a  dark  page." — Frede- 
rick William  III.,  King  of  Prussia. 

"I  HAVE  no  sympathy  with  the  falsehood,  *  Whore 
mystery  begins  devotion  ends.*  Its  converse  is  as  near 
the  truth,  though  it  savor  strongly  of  Rome. — '  Clouds 
and  darkness  are  round  about'  the  throne  of  God,  but 
they  intimate  the  mystery  of  his  being,  not  of  his  acts, 
of  what  he  can  or  will  do ;  of  the  mode,  not  of  the  rea- 
sons of  his  doings.  The  rainbow  that  bends  over  that 
darkness,  sheds  a  soft  and  varied  light  over  his  economy, 
though  its  rays  are  not  bright  enough  to  reveal  all  the 
mind  in  which  that  economy  has  its  birth.  There  is 
just  enough  revealed  to  us  now,  to  furnish  us  with  the 
elements  of  progression,  without  which  we  cannot  be 
happy;  just  enough  to  preserve  us  from  presumption  and 
despair.  I  would  not  know  what  is  before  me;  and  I 
know  sufficient  of  my  past  history,  and  God  has  told  me 
the  reasons  of  its  sorrows  and  its  joys.  Were  all  things  re- 
vealed to  us  here,  eternity  would  be  a  blank.  Let  us  there- 
fore never  ask  complainingly  why  God  takes  away  our 
property  and  our  friends ;  why  he  lays  us  on  beds  of  pain 
and  death ;  why  he  sometimes  seems  to  break  in  upon  the 
calm  of  thino-s,  to  startle  mortals  with  the  thunderbolts 
of  wrath !  His  glory  is  revealed,  his  law  preserved,  his 
commonwealth  upheld,  his  people  are  taken  from  the  evil 
to  come,  the  wanderer  and  rebel  are  brought  home  to  liis 
service  and  his  love.  With  all  his  mysteries,  his  is  a 
path  of  light.  Perfect  reason  marks  it.  The  rays  of 
the  Godhead  rest  upon  and  shine  around  it." — Rev.  E. 
E.  Adams. 

The   doctrinal  mysteries  of  Christianity  are  dry 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  243 

bones  to  infidelity  and  proud  philosophy,  but  marrow  to 
true  believers. 

''Each  particle  of  matter  is  an  immensity,  each 
leaf  a  world,  each  insect  an  inexplicable  compendium." 
— Lavater. 

"  Sinful  man,  saved  in  Christ,  always  was  and  always 
will  be  a  mystery,  a  wonder." — T.  Adams. 

NATIONS. 

Bishop  Butler  was  one  day  walking  in  his  gaiden 
with  Dean  Tucker,  his  chaplain,  when  he  suddenly 
stopped  and  asked,  ''What  security  is  there  against  the 
insanity  of  individuals?  The  physician  knows  of  none, 
and  as  to  divines,  we  have  no  dates,  either  from  Scripture 
or  from  reason,  to  go  upon,  relative  to  this  matter." 
"True,  my  lord,"  replied  the  Dean,  "no  man  has  a  lease 
of  his  understanding,  any  more  than  of  his  life.  They 
are  both  in  the  hands  of  the  Sovereign  Disposer  of  all 
things."  The  Bishop  walked  on  in  silence  for  a  short 
time,  and  then  stopping  short,  said,  "Did  it  ever  strike 
you,  why  may  not  whole  communities  and  public  bodies 
be  seized  with  fits  of  insanity  as  well  as  individuals  ^ ' — 
"I  thought  little,"  said  the  Dean,  long  afterwards,  "of 
that  odd  conceit  of  the  Bishop  at  the  time,  but  I  own,  I 
could  not  avoid  thinking  of  it  a  great  deal  since,  and  ap- 
plying it  to  many  cases." 

It  was  the  striking  testimony  of  Southey,  "Where 
there  is  the  most  love  of  God,  there  will  be  the  most 
philanthropy;  there  is  no  other  means  whereby  nations 
are  reformed,  than  that  by  which  individuals  are  regene- 
rated." 

"  In  one  sense,  the  providence  of  God  is  shown  more 


244  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

clearly  in  nations  than  in  individuals.  Retribution  can 
follow  individuals  into  another  state;  but  not  so  with  na- 
tions; they  have  all  their  rewards  and  punishments  in 
time." — De  Custine. 

"Men  come  to  think  that  the  guilt  of  sins  committed 
in  concert  is  distributed ;  and  that  if  there  be  a  thousand 
men  banded  and  handed  together  in  wickedness,  each 
shall  have  but  the  one-thousandth  part  of  guilt.  If  a 
firm  succeeds,  the  gain  is  distributed  to  each  partner; 
but  if  it  fails,  each  one  may  be  held  for  the  whole  loss. 
Whoever  commits  a  sin  will  bear  the  sins  whether  alone 
or  with  a  thousand ;  whoever  commits  or  connives  at  pub- 
lic sin,  will  bear  the  blame.  Public  guilt  always  has  pri- 
vate endorsement,  and  each  man  is  liable  for  the  whole 
note." — Beecher. 

"It  was  a  sound  and  savory  reply  of  an  English 
captain  at  the  loss  of  Calais,  when  a  proud  Frenchman 
scornfully  demanded,  'When  will  you  fetch  Calais 
again  V  '■  When  your  sins  shall  weigh  down  ours.'  Ah, 
England !  my  constant  prayer  for  thee  is,  that  thou 
mayest  not  sin  away  thy  mercies  into  their  hands  that 
cannot  call  mercy,  mercy ;  and  that  would  joy  in  noth- 
ing more  than  to  see  thy  sorrow  and  misery,  and  to  see 
that  hand  to  make  thee  naked  that  hath  clothed  thee  with 
much  mercy  and  glory." — Brookes. 

NATURE  AND  GRACE. 

"  The  natural  man  is  a  spiritual  monster.  His 
heart  is  where  his  feet  should  be,  fixed  upon  the  earth ; 
his  heels  are  lifted  up  against  heaven,  which  his  heart 
should  be  set  on.  His  face  is  towards  the  kingdom  of 
Satan,  his  back  towards  the  kingdom  of  God.     He  loves 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  245 

what  lie  should  hate,  and  hates  what  he  should  love  ;  joys 
in  what  he  ought  to  mourn  for,  and  mourns  for  what  he 
ought  to  rejoice  in ;  glories  in  his  shame,  and  is  ashamed 
of  his  glory ;  abhors  what  he  should  desire,  and  desires 
what  he  should  abhor." — Boston, 

"Nature  inspires  us  with  a  love  of  life,  but  can 
never  teach  us  how  to  die." — Beeclier. 

A  CHIEF  ART  of  the  spiritual  life  is  to  do  natural 
things  spiritually,  and  spiritual  things  naturally. 

The  powerlessness  of  nature  to  change  men's 
hearts  may  be  seen  from  the  fact  that  many  men  of  the 
most  abandoned  principles  have  lived  amidst  the  loveliest 
scenery,  and  with  every  advantage  of  nature  and  art,  and 
yet  were  not  brought  one  whit  nearer  God — witness  men 
like  Voltaire,  Gibbon,  Rousseau,  Lord  Byron,  &c. 

"  Every  natural  man  has  one  or  more  good  quali- 
ties, by  which  alone  he  estimates  his  worth  and  charac- 
ter, and  lives  and  dies  an  infidel  to  his  bad  ones."— 
Adams. 

"  In  every  Christian  while  he  lives,  there  is  a  war- 
fare between  two  opposite  principles.  Paul  stands  forth 
as  the  type  of  the  truly  converted,  but  not  perfectly 
sanctified  disciple, — '  When  I  would  do  good,  evil  is 
present  with  me.'  (Rom.  vii.  21.")  There  is  a  great 
tumult  in  a  human  breast  where  these  two  contrary  cur- 
rents contend.  It  is  like  the  meeting-place  of  the  rising 
tide  and  descending  torrent.  One  stream,  pure  and 
transparent,  is  rising  mysteriously  up ;  another,  yellow 
and  turbid,  is  rushing,  according  to  its  constant  nature, 
down.  The  contention  is  sharp,  but  it  is  soon  over.  The 
pure  overcomes  the  impure.  That  which  rises  up,  ap- 
parently contrary  to  law,  overcomes  that  which  flows 
21  * 


246  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

down  obviously  according  to  law.  The  ocean  entering 
that  channel  overpowers  and  beats  back  the  mountain- 
stream.  It  is  thus  that  the  tide  which  issues  from  the 
Infinite,  acts  against  the  law  of  the  carnal  mind,  not- 
withstanding its  long  possession  and  its  impetuous  flow. 
The  tide  that  rises  is  under  law,  as  well  as  the  stream 
that  descends.  That  rising  tide  is  not  only  pure  in  itself, 
it  hat  Omnipotence  behind  to  urge  it  on.  There  will  be 
a  mixture  at  the  point  of  contact,  and  while  the  conflict 
rages ;  but  soon  the  unclean  will  be  driven  back,  and  the 
channel  will  be  filled  from  brim  to  brim  by  a  pure  ascend- 
ing stream." — Illustrations  of  Truth. 

OBEDIENCE. 

The  obedience  of  the  heart  is  the  heart  of  obedience. 

" is  doing  the  will  of  God,  because  it  is  his  will; 

and  not  only  so  far  as  we  see  the  fitness  of  it,  or  as  it 
suits  our  own  way  of  pleasing  ourselves." — T.  Adams. 

"  If  God  says,  *  Thou  shalt  not,'  a  child  of  God  says, 
*  I  will  not,'  in  spite  of  strength  of  inclination  or  vio- 
lence of  temptation.  If  God  says,  '  Thou  shalt,'  he 
says  in  defiance  of  custom,  difficulty,  or  danger,  *I 
will.'  "     Josh.  i.  IQ.—T.  Adams. 

"  True  obedience  neither  procrastinates  nor  ques- 
tions."—  Quarles. 

"  Obedience  is  faith  incarnate." 

Some  persons  think  of  obedience  as  if  it  were  nothing 
else  than  slavery  and  servitude ;  and  so  it  is,  if  obedi- 
lince  be  constrained.  The  man  who  obeys  by  compulsion 
and  through  fear,  wears  a  chain  that  must  gall  and  fret 
his  spirit.     True  Christian  obedience  is  the  service  of  a 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  247 

loving  heart,  and  partakes  of  the  very  essence  of  the 
truest  freedom. 

"  I  don't  believe  any  one  knows  the  sweetness  of  the 
promises,  who  underrates  the  sanctity  of  the  precept." — 
J.  H.  Evans. 

"  You  must  rise  above  servant  principles,  if  you  would 
come  at  filial  obedience.  Legal  causes  will  never  pro- 
duce Gospel  fruits." — J.  H.  Evans. 

"  A  pacified  conscience  and  loving  heart  is  the  best 
teacher  of  all  obedience." — J.  II.  Evans. 

"  It  ought  to  be  the  great  care  of  every  one  of  us, 
to  follow  the  Lord  fully.  We  must  in  a  course  of  obedi- 
ence to  God's  will  and  service  to  his  honor,  follow  him 
universally  without  dividing ;  uprightly  without  dissem- 
bling ;  cheerfully  without  disputing ;  and  constantly  with- 
out declining  ;  and  this  is  following  him  fully." — Matthew 
Henry. 

"  In  evil  times  it  fares  best  with  them  that  are 
most  careful  about  duty,  and  least  about  safety." — 
IlammoJid. 

"  A  cripple  might  as  w^ell  lean  upon  his  shadow  for 
support,  as  your  heart  depend  upon  sincere  obedience 
for  salvation." — Berridgc. 

"The  book  of  command." — When  an  agent  of  the 
American  Bible  Society  was  in  Turkey,  Mr.  Righter,  he 
paid  a  visit  to  Sivas,  a  large  inland  city,  and  in  the  after- 
noon two  Koozel-besh  Koords  called  upon  him.  They 
told  him  they  wished  to  become  Christians ;  and  on  his 
questioning  them  why  they  wished  to  change  their  re- 
ligion, they  replied,  "We  once  worshiped  a  cane  or 
stafi*,  with  which  the  sheik  beat  us,  to  drive  away  our 


248  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHEIIINGS. 

sins.  But  we  now  believe  no  longer  that  this  will  save 
us.     A  kitab  (good  book)  taught  us  better." 

"  Where  did  you  get  the  book  ?"  asked  the  Mission- 
ary. ''We  don't  know  whence  it  came  from,"  they 
answered,  "  but  it  teaches  us  that  Christ  is  alive,  and  the 
other  prophets  are  dead.  It  teaches  us  to  love  our 
enemies  and  pray  for  them.  It  is  ten  years  since  we  be- 
gan to  learn  these  truths." 

"  What  is  the  name  of  this  book  ?"  "  We  call  it 
*Boyusook,'  the  book  of  command,"  they  said;  "a 
teacher  reads  to  us  from  this  book,  the  sheik  explains  it, 
and  then  we  pray  to  God  through  Christ,  as  the  book 
teaches." 

Such  was  the  name  by  which  these  Turkish  Koords  so 
significantly  called  the  Bible. 

An  old  negro  preacher's  explanation. — A  negro 
preacher  thus  addressed  his  audience  : — "Brethren,"  he 
said  in  his  broken  way,  "  what  eber  de  good  God  tell  me 
to  do,  in  dis  blessed  book,"  holding  up  at  the  same  time 
an  old  and  evidently  much-read  Bible,  "  dat  I'm  gwine 
to  do.  If  I  see  in  it  that  I  must  jump  troo  a  stone  wall, 
I'm  gwine  to  jump  at  it.  Goin'  troo  it  belongs  to  God — 
jumpin'  at  it  'longs  to  me."  "All  God's  biddings  are 
enablings,"  says  an  early  Christian  writer. — Illustrations 
of  Truth. 

OBSCURE  CHRISTIANS. 

Men  often  forget  that  privation  and  retirement  have 
sometimes  hidden  joys,  as  a  flower  blooms  under  a  leaf. 
Shadow  is  sometimes  shelter.  Some  flowers  could  not 
thrive  in  much  sunshine. 

A  HUMBLE  and  retired  Christian,  weighed  down 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERmGS.  249 

by  poverty  and  hidden  in  retirement,  may  be  likened 
to  one  of  the  plain  old-fashioned  clocks  Ave  often  see 
in  the  corner  of  some  homely  cottage.  A  glance  at 
the  outside  shows  nothing  but  what  is  plain  and  worn, 
and  there  it  stands  in  the  same  retired  spot,  year  after 
year,  with  its  slow  heavy  click  and  homely  face ;  but  fot 
usefulness,  few  clocks  are  so  good  and  true  as  these  old- 
fashioned  ones. 

"  To  BE  NAMELESS  in  Worthy  deeds  exceeds  an  infa- 
mous history.  The  Canaanitish  woman  lives  more  hap- 
pily without  a  name  than  Herodias  with  one ;  and  who 
would  not  rather  have  been  the  penitent  thief  than  Pi- 
late?"— aS^^V  Thomas  Browne. 

"  The  CROOKED  stick. — James  Therrol,  an  old  car- 
penter on  Salisbury  Plain,  once  reproved  a  young  Chris- 
tian, w^ho  complained  that  she  was  unworthy  to  serve  the 
Lord.  *I  used,'  he  said,  Uo  think  as  you  do,  but  the 
Lord  taught  me  by  a  crooked  stick.  One  day  my  son 
went  to  a  sale  of  timber,  and  in  the  lot  he  bought,  was 
a  piece  so  twisted  and  bent,  that  he  said  sharply,  "  It 
will  be  of  no  use."  "Wait  a  bit,"  said  I,  "don't  fret. 
Let  us  keep  a  look-out — there  is  a  place  somewhere  for 
it;"  and  soon  after  I  was  building  a  house.  There  was 
a  corner  to  turn  in  it ;  not  a  stick  in  the  yard  would  fit : 
I  thought  of  the  crooked  one  and  fetched  it.  It  seemed 
as  if  the  tree  had  grown  for  the  purpose.  Then,  said  I, 
there  was  a  place  for  the  crooked  stick  after  all,  and 
there  is  a  place  for  James  Therrol  as  much.'  " — British 
Messenger. 


250  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

OLD  TESTAMENT  DISPENSATION  COM- 
PARED  WITH  THE  NEW 

IS  as  the  blossom  compared  with  the  fruit.     The 

blossom  is  not  annihilated,  but,  fading,  passes  into  the 
fruit;  the  types  and  shadows  of  the  Old  Testament 
were  ordained  to  melt  into  the  Gospel  fulness. 

"  Old  Testament  times  were  but  like  ivinters,  dark 
and  cloudy,  sharp  and  stormy ;  and  yet  many  then  trav- 
eled bravely  and  briskly  to  heaven.  Gospel  times,  like 
summer  days,  are  clear,  sweet,  and  warm,  full  of  beams 
of  grace  and  mercy ;  and  yet  how  slowly  and  sadly 
many  go  to  heaven  now." 

The  Old  Testament  is  the  watershed  of  the  New. 
These  deep  springs,  which  irrigate  and  fructify  the  New 
Testament  Church,  took  their  rise  from  the  mountains 
of  Judea,  and  descended,  like  the  volume  of  the  Nile. 
to  fertilize  and  fructify  the  landscape  around  it." — Caj)- 
tain  Gordon. 

The  Old  Testament  is  the  original  stock  of  Divinely 
Inspired  Truth ;  the  New  Testament  is  only  "  the  en- 
grafted word." 

"  Before  Christ,  the  Gospel  ran,  as  a  river  under- 
ground ;  but  in  the  Gospel,  it  bursts  forth  and  show- 
eth  itself,  refreshing  us  with  its  healing  streams."— 
SzvinnocJc. 

"The  two  Testaments,  Old  and  New,  like  the  twD 
breasts  of  the  same  person,  give  the  same  milk.  As  if 
one  draw  water  out  of  a  deep  well  with  vessels  of  differ- 
ent metal ;  one 'of  brass,  another  of  tin,  a  third  of  earth; 
tlie  water  may  seem  at  first  to  be  of  a  different  color, 
but  when  the  vessels  are  brought  near  the  eye,  the  diver- 
sity of  colors  vanisheth,  and  the  waters  tasted  have  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  251 

sjime  relish ;  so  here  the  different  style  of  the  historiog- 
raphers from  prophets,  of  the  prophets  from  evangelists, 
of  the  evangelists  from  apostles,  may  make  the  truths 
of  Scripture  seem  of  different  complexions,  till  one  look 
narrowly  into  them,  and  taste  them  advisedly ;  then  will 
the  identity  both  of  color  and  relish  manifest  itself." — 
Arrow  smith. 

The  bunch  of  grapes. — "  We  know  that  the  bunch 
of  grapes  which  the  spies  of  the  children  of  Israel 
brought  from  the  land  of  promise,  w^as  carried  by  two 
men  on  a  pole.  Luther  has  a  curious  remark  on  this ; 
he  observes  that  the  man  who  went  foremost  would  not 
see  the  grapes,  but  that  the  man  who  bore  the  hinder- 
most  part  of  the  pole  had  the  grapes  continually  in  view, 
and  might  pluck  them  if  he  pleased ;  thus,  he  says,  the 
patriarchs  and  prophets  of  the  Old  Testament,  who  went 
before  the  apostles,  did  not  see  distinctly  the  bunch  of 
grapes  (meaning  thereby  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel), 
but  that  those  w^ho  came  after  them — namely,  the  evan- 
gelists and  the  apostles,  and  all  w^ho  have  lived  in  the 
light  of  the  New  Testament  Dispensation,  have  seen 
them  clearly,  and  if  they  did  not  taste  them,  it  was  their 
owm  fault." 

There  are  three  degrees  of  seeing  things.  The 
first  is  under  water,  where  a  faint  and  often  disturbed 
and  distorted  image  of  a  thing  is  given.  The  second  is 
in  a  glass,  which  is  much  clearer,  but  still  imperfect. 
The  third  and  most  perfect  is  to  see  things  face  to  face. 
Now,  the  Jews  under  the  Law  saw  truth,  as  it  were, 
under  water.  We,  in  the  Gospel,  behold,  "  as  in  a  glass, 
the  glory  of  the  Lord."     In  heaven,  we  shall  see  with 


252  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

open  vision,  no  longer  as  "  through  a  glass  darkly,  hui 
then  face  to  face." 

The  SAINTS  under  the  Old  Testament  were  like  the 
manslayer  in  the  city  of  refuge,  saved,  but  "  shut  up ;" 
we,  now  that  the  great  High  Priest  is  dead,  enjoy  the 
liberty  of  freedom. 

*'  Its  message  (the  Old  Testament's)  has  always  been 
that  of  the  messenger  who  came  to  David,  after  the 
battle  of  Mahanaim — 'All  is  well.'  But  it  wanted 
Cushi  to  follow  Ahimaaz,  to  tell  that  the  victory  arose 
from  the  leader  being  slain.  So  of  the  Old  Testament 
and  the  New." — Bonar. 

OMISSION,  SINS  OF. 

"  Sins  of  commission  are  usual  punishments  for  sins 
of  omission.  He  that  leaves  a  duty,  may  fear  to  be  left 
to  commit  a  crime." — Crurnall. 

We  may  lose  heaven  by  neutrality  as  well  as  by  hos- 
tility  ;  by  wanting  oil,  as  well  as  by  drinking  poison.  An 
unprofitable  servant  shall  as  much  be  punished  as  a  prod- 
igal son.     Undone  duty  will  undo  our  souls. 

Archbishop  Usher  has  been  equalled  by  few,  if  any, 
in  earnestness  and  assiduity  of  application  to  ministerial 
work.  He  began  his  course  early,  being  converted  at 
the  age  of  ten,  under  a  sermon  he  heard  from  Rom.  xii. 
1,  and  he  was  a  pains-taking,  laborious  preacher  and 
writer  for  fifty-five  years.  Yet  when  on  his  death-bed, 
the  last  words  he  was  heard  to  utter  were,  about  one 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  he  cried  with  a  loud 
voice, — ''But,  Lord,  in  special,  forgive  me  my  sins  of 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  263 

ORDER 

— "is  Heaven's  first  law." — Pope. 

— "  is  the  sanity  of  the  mind,  the  health  of  the  body, 
the  peace  of  the  city,  the  security  of  the  state.  As  the 
beams  to  a  house,  as  the  bones  to  the  microcosm  of  man, 
so  is  order  to  all  things." — Southey. 

"  Desultoriness  may  often  be  the  mark  of  a  full 
head;  connection  must  proceed  from  a  thoughtful  one." 
— Danby. 

Order  is  a  lovely  nymph,  the  child  of  beauty  and 
wisdom;  her  attendants  are  comfort,  neatness,  and  ac- 
tivity ;  her  abode  is  the  valley  of  happiness ;  she  is 
always  to  be  found  when  sought  for,  and  never  appears 
so  lovely  as  when  contrasted  with  her  opponent — Dis- 
order. 

The  best  help  to  memory. — "I  don't  know,"  said  a 
gentleman  to  the  late  Rev.  Andrew  Fuller,  "how  it  is 
that  I  can  remember  your  sermons  better  than  those  of 
any  other  minister,  but  such  is  the  fact."  "I  cannot 
tell,"  replied  Mr.  Fuller;  "unless  it  be  owing  to  sim- 
plicity of  arrangement ;  I  pay  particular  attention  to  this 
part  of  composition,  always  placing  things  together  that 
are  related  to  each  other,  and  that  naturally  follow  each 
other  in  succession.  For  instance,"  added  he,  "suppose 
I  were  to  say  to  my  servant,  'Betty,  you  must  go  and 
buy  some  butter,  and  starch,  and  cream,  and  soap,  and 
tea,  and  blue,  and  sugar,  and  cakes.'  Betty  would  be 
very  apt  to  say,  '  Master,  I  shall  never  be  able  to  remem- 
ber all  these.'  But  suppose  I  were  to  say,  'Betty,  you 
know  that  your  mistress  is  going  to  have  some  friends  to 
tea  to-morrow,  and  that  you  are  going  to  wash  the  day 
following ;  and  that  for  the  tea  party  you  will  want  tea, 

22 


254  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

and  sugar,  and  cream,  and  cakes,  and  butter;  and  for 
the  washing  you  will  want  soap,  and  starch,  and  blue,' — 
Betty  would  instantly  reply,  'Yes,  master,  I  can  now 
remember  them  all  very  well.'" — Whitecrosss  Anec- 
dotes. 

ORDINANCES, 

— the  Christian's  breathing-times;  the  deep  channels 
for  the  water  of  life;  golden  pipes;  the  green  pastures 
and  still  waters  of  the  good  Shepherd's  fold;  God's 
table  in  the  wilderness;  the  wings  of  our  earth-born 
spirits;  chinks  through  which  the  light  of  the  upper 
sanctuary  shines;  the  lattice-work  of  the  King's  palace. 

"Live  not  so  much  upon  the  ordinances  of  God,  as 
upon  the  God  of  ordinances." 

"  They  that  have  not  wings  to  mount,  must  use  lad- 
ders to  climb." — Calvin. 

"It  was  necessary  for  the  patriarchs  to  fix  their  resi- 
dence near  a  well;  and  it  is  necessary  for  believers  to  fix 
their  residence  near  ordinances." — A.  Fuller. 

"  God  has  tied  us  to  ordinances,  but  he  has  not  tied 
himself  to  them." 

Some  men  take  no  pleasure  in  flowers,  nor  care  to 
keep  them,  but  to  look  at  and  smell  at;  but  the  bees  draw 
honey  from  them,  and  the  apothecary  extracts  medicine 
from  them :  so  many  hear  sermons  for  their  pleasure  only ; 
others,  who  are  wiser,  for  their  profit. 

— "When  a  man  goes  thirsty  to  the  well,  his  thirst  is 
not  allayed  merely  by  going  there.  On  the  contrary,  it 
is  increased  by  every  step  he  goes.  It  is  by  what  he 
draws  out  of  the  well  that  his  thirst  is  satisfied.  And 
just  so  it  is  not  by  the  mere  bodily  exercise  of  waiting 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  255 

upon  ordinances  that  you  will  ever  come  to  peace,  but  by- 
tasting  of  Jesus  in  the  ordinances,  whose  flesh  is  meat 
indeed,  and  his  blood  drink  indeed." — M'Clieyne, 

"A  TRAVELER  and  a  merchant  differ  thus;  a  traveler 
goes  from  place  to  place  to  see  and  be  amused,  but  a 
merchant  goes  from  port  to  port,  that  he  may  take  in  his 
lading  and  grow  rich  by  trade.  So  a  formal  person  goes 
from  ordinance  to  ordinance,  and  is  satisfied,  with  the 
work ;  but  a  godly  man  looks  to  take  in  rich  lading,  that 
he  may  go  away  and  take  with  him  some  of  the  spiritual 
wealth  of  the  sanctuary." — Spencer. 

"As  SHIPS  ride  a  long  time  in  the  j^oadstead  (when 
they  might  be  in  the  haven),  for  the  end,  that  they  may 
be  in  the  wind's  way,  and  take  the  first  opportunity  that 
shall  be  offered  for  their  intended  voyage ;  so  do  thou  ride, 
in  the  road  of  God's  ordinances,  waiting  for  the  gales  of 
the  Spirit.  Thou  knowest  not  how  soon  that  wind  may 
blow  on  the  waters  of  the  sanctuary,  and  drive  the  ves- 
sels of  thy  soul  swiftly,  and  land  it  safely  at  the  haven 
of  happiness  in  heaven." — Swinnoch. 

"It  WAS  the  remark  of  a  true  Christian  once,  in  a 
place  where  the  Church  was  but  ill-supplied — 'The 
Lord  was  feeding  them  upon  poverty;'  the  unriddling  of 
which  riddle  was,  that  the  very  poverty  of  the  public 
means,  made  them  live  more  upon  the  Scriptures,  and 
cease  from  man." — 3Iis8  Plumptre. 

Beware  of  Cain's  spirit — coming  to  the  altar  without 
blood. 

"When  some  people  talk  of  religion,  they  mean  they 
have  heard  so  many  sermons,  and  performed  so  many 
devotions,  and  thus  mistake  the  means  for  the  end.  But 
true  religion  is  an  habitual  recollection  of  God,  and  an 


256  ILLUSTRATIVE   GxVTHERINQS. 

intention  to  serve  him;  and  this  turns  everything  into 
gold." — John  Newton, 

The  traveler's  tree. — Mr.  Ellis  describes  this 
wonderful  tree,  which  grows  in  Madagascar,  and  is  so 
called  from  its  always  containing,  in  the  most  arid  sea- 
son, a  large  quantity  of  pure  fresh  water,  supplying  to 
the  traveler  the  place  of  wells  in  the  desert.  Being 
somewhat  sceptical  as  to  the  truth  of  what  he  had  heard, 
Mr.  Ellis  determined  to  see  for  himself.  Coming  to  a 
clump  of  trees,  one  of  his  bearers  struck  one  of  them 
with  his  spear,  four  or  five  inches  deep,  into  the  thick, 
firm  end  of  the  stalk  of  the  leaf,  and  on  drawing  it  back, 
a  stream  of  pure  clear  water  gushed  out,  about  a  quart 
of  which  was  caught,  and  all  drank  of  it  on  the  spot.  It 
was  cool,  clear,  and  perfectly  sweet.  Such  a  tree,  so 
valuable  to  the  thirsty  traveler,  forms  no  bad  emblem 
of  the  ordinances  of  grace,  prepared  for  the  Lord's  peo- 
ple in  the  wilderness  of  this  world. 

Debarred  from  public  ordinances,  the  fruits  of  grace 
sometimes  bloom  with  unusual  beauty.  Dr.  Kane,  find- 
ing a  flower  under  the  Humboldt  Glacier,  was  more  af- 
fected by  it,  because  it  grew  beneath  the  lip  and  cold  bo- 
som of  the  ice,  than  he  would  have  been  by  the  most 
gorgeous  garden  flower  at  home. 

PARDON  OF  SIN. 

^'  The  forgiveness  of  sin  is  like  the  burying  of  Moses.** 
• — J.  H.  Evans. 

"There  is  no  such  thing  as  a  Aa?f-pardon  in  the 
court  of  heaven.  God  cannot  forgive  more  than  he 
does." — J.  H.  JEvans. 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  257 

"  I  ASK  NOT  a  legal  pardon,  Lord,  but  a  father's  par- 
don."— J.  H.  Evans. 

To  PARDON  AND  TO  FORGIVE  are  both  the  gracious 
work  of  God  through  Christ.  These  two  are  not  the 
same,  though  often  confounded.  To  pardon  is  to  remit 
the  punishment;  to  forgive,  is  to  lay  aside  the  remem- 
brance. Thus  we  say,  the  Queen  pardons ;  a  Christian 
forgives.  David  pardoned  Shimei,  but  did  not  forgive 
him;  he  remitted  the  punishment  of  his  offence,  but  did 
not  dismiss  the  remembrance  of  it.  (See  2  Sam.  xix.  23 ; 
i  Kings  ii.  8,  9.)  / 

Full  and  free. — "  If  there  be  any  pardon  with  God, 
it  is  such  as  becomes  him  to  give.  When  he  pardons  he 
will  abundantly  pardon.  Go  with  your  AaZf-forgiveness, 
limited  conditional  pardons,  with  reserves  and  limitations, 
unto  the  sons  of  men :  it  may  be,  it  may  become  them,  it 
is  like  themselves.  That  of  God  is  absolute  and  perfect, 
before  which  our  sins  are  as  a  cloud  before  the  east  wind 
and  the  rising  sun.     Hence  he  is  said  to  do  this  work 

with  his  wliole  heart  and  with  his  whole  soul We 

are  apt  to  think  we  are  very  willing  to  have  forgiveness ; 
but  that  Grod  is  unwilling  to  bestow  it;  and  that  because 
he  seems  to  be  a  loser  by  it,  and  to  forego  the  glory  of 
inflicting  punishment  for  our  sins;  which  of  all  things 
we  suppose  he  is  most  loth  to  part  withal.  And  this  is 
th#  very  nature  of  unbelief  But  indeed  things  are 
quite  otherwise.  He  hath  in  this  matter,  through  the 
Lord  Christ,  ordered  all  things  in  his  dealings  with  sin- 
ners to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace.  His  design 
in  the  whole  mystery  of  the  Gospel  is  to  make  his  grace 
glorious,  or  to  exalt  pardoning  mercy.  The  great  fruit 
and  product  of  his  grace  is  forgiveness ;  the  forgiveness 
22  « 


258  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

of  sinners.  This  God  will  render  himself  gloi^ious  in  and 
by.  All  the  praise,  glory,  and  worship  that  he  designs 
from  any  in  this  world,  is  to  redound  unto  him  by  the 
way  of  his  grace,  as  we  have  proved  at  large  before." — 
Owen. 

"  It  would  tire  the  hands  of  an  angel,  to  write  down 
all  the  pardons  that  God  bestows  upon  true  penitent 
believers. ' ' — Bates. 

"  'Tis  ONE  thing  to  have  our  sins  worn  away  from  the 
memory,  and  quite  another  thing  to  have  them  washed 
away  at  the  Gospel  fountain." — A.  Fuller. 

"  God  never  pardons  one  sin,  but  he  pardons  all ; 
and  we  dishonor  him  more  by  not  trusting  in  him  for 
complete  forgiveness  than  we  did  by  sinning  against 
him,  Christ  took  up  all  our  sins  and  bore  them  in  his 
own  body  on  the  cross ;  and  God  cannot  punish  twice, 
or  demand  a  second  satisfaction  to  his  justice.  '  Nothing 
can  pacify  an  offended  conscience  but  that  which  satis- 
fied an  offended  God,'  says  Henry;  and  well  may  that 
which  satisfied  an  offended  God  pacify  an  offended  con- 
science."— Adam. 

"  I  want  forgiveness  of  one  sin,  and  strength  against 
it ;  but  God  wants  to  do  more  for  me,  and  will  forgive 
and  deliver  me  from  none,  till  I  make  further  search  into 
myself,  and  bring  my  sins  before  him  all  together." — 
Adam. 

"  Christ  comes  with  a  blessing  in  each  hand ,  forgive- 
ness in  one  and  holiness  in  the  other;  and  never  gives 
either  to  any  who  will  not  take  both." — Adam. 

"  When  God  overthrew  Pharaoh  and  his  host  in  the 
Red  Sea,  it  overwhelmed  and  drowned  the  greatest 
Egyptian  commanders,  no  less  than  the  pa^anest  foot- 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  259 

soldier.  The  vast  ocean  overflows  the  lowest  sands  and 
the  highest  rocks.  So  does  pardoning  grace  cover  every 
transgression  of  every  penitent  believer." — Arrowsmith 

^'  There  is  not  so  much  sin  in  man  as  there  is  good- 
ness in  God.  There  is  a  vaster  disproportion  between 
sin  and  grace  than  between  a  spark  and  an  ocean.  Who 
would  doubt  whether  a  spark  could  be  quenched  in  an 
ocean?  Thy  thoughts  of  disobedience  towards  God 
have  been  within  the  compass  of  time,  but  his  goodness 
hath  been  bubbling  up  towards  thee  from  all  eternity. 
He  hath  had  sweet  plots  of  free  grace,  and  gracious 
contrivance  of  love  towards  thee,  from  everlasting." — 
Oulverwell. 

Christian  at  the  cross. — Bunyan,  in  the  Pilgrim's 
Progress,  thus  describes  Christian's  deliverance.  "  I  saw 
in  my  dream,  that  the  highway  up  which  Christian  was 
to  go,  was  fenced,  on  either  side  with  a  wall,  and  that 
wall  was  called  Salvation  (Isa.  xxvi.  1).  Up  this  way 
therefore  did  burdened  Christian  run,  but  not  without 
great  difficulty,  because  of  the  load  on  his  back. 

"  He  ran  thus  till  he  came  to  a  place  somewhat  ascend- 
ing ;  and  upon  that  place  stood  a  cross,  and  a  little  below, 
in  the  bottom,  a  sepulchre.  So  I  saw  in  my  dream,  that 
just  as  Christian  came  up  with  the  cross,  his  burden 
loosed  from  off  his  shoulders,  and  fell  from  off  his  back, 
and  began  to  tumble,  and  so  continued  to  do  till  it  came 
to  the  mouth  of  the  sepulchre,  where  it  fell  in,  and  I 
saw  it  no  more." 

"  Oh,  he  is  a  great  forgiver." — Mr.  Fleming,  in 
his  "Fulfilling  of  the  Scriptures,"  relates  the  case  of  a 
most  hardened  sinner,  who  was  put  to  death  in  the  town 
of  Ayr.     It  pleased  the  Lord  to  bring  him  to  repent- 


260  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

ance  when  in  prison,  and  so  full  was  his  assurance  of 
pardoning  mercy,  that  when  he  came  to  the  place  of  exe- 
cution, he  could  not  help  crying  out  to  the  people,  under 
the  sense  of  pardon,  "  Oh,  he  is  a  great  forgiver !  He 
is  a  great  forgiver.''  And  he  added,  "  '  Now  hath  per- 
fect love  cast  out  fear'  (1  John  iv.  18),  I  know  God  hath 
nothing  to  say  against  me  {Rom.  viii.  1),  for  Jesus  Christ 
hath  paid  all ;  and  those  are  free  whom  the  Son  makes 
free"  (John  viii.  36). 

The  true  sense  of  pardon. — A  minister  was  preach- 
ing one  evening  from  the  words,  "Be  sure  your  sin  will 
find  you  out "  (Numb,  xxxii.  23).  He  said  many  awaken- 
ing things  about  sin  finding  out  those  who  committed  it, 
and  among  others  this :  "  If  you  do  not  find  out  your 
sin,  and  bring  it  to  Calvary  to  get  it  pardoned  and 
washed  away  through  the  blood  of  Jesus,  be  sure  your 
sin  will  find  you  out,  and  bring  you  to  the  judgment- 
seat,  to  be  condemned  and  sent  away  by  Jesus  into  ever- 
lasting punishment."  A  little  girl  who  had  told  her 
mother  a  lie  before  she  came  to  hear  the  minister,  was 
listening,  and  she  thought,  "  Oh,  that  lie  !  I  must  either 
find  it,  and  bring  it  to  Calvary,  or  it  will  find  me  at  the 
great  day,  and  cause  me  to  be  sent  to  hell  forever." 
The  child  was  greatly  alarmed.  She  became  very  anxious 
about  her  sour«  sm  v^ation.  She  cared  for  nothing  earthly ; 
her  mind  was  entirely  occupied  with  thoughts  of  things 
spiritual  and  eternal.  She  was  under  the  powers  of  the 
world  to  come,  and  she  could  not  rest  until  she  went  and 
told  the  minister  all  the  circumstances.  She  walked 
several  miles  to  speak  to  him,  and  the  burden  of  her 
errand  was  this,  "  Oh,  what  will  I  do  with  my  sin  ?"  He 
said,  "Lay  it  upon  the  spotless  Lamb  of  God,  and  he 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  261 

will  take  it  entirely  away.  Let  us  now  lay  it  upon  him," 
said  the  kind  pastor,  and  with  that  he  kneeled  down  with 
the  awakened  chijjd^nd  commended  her  to  "  Jesus,  that 
great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep."  He  spoke  to  her  "more 
words,  whereby  she  might  be  saved,"  and  she  went  home. 
The  next  time  the  minister  saw  her,  she  came  to  him 
with  a  radiant  countenance,  and  he  took  her  by  the  hand 
and  said,  "  Well,  have  you  laid  your  sin  upon  the  spot- 
less Lamb  of  God?"  "Oh,  yes!"  she  replied;  "and 
I'll  never  lay  any  more!"  "Never  lay  any  more!" 
How  childlike  and  yet  how  like  the  experience  of  the 
lambs  of  Jesus'  fold.  The  minister  we  refer  to,  told 
this  incident  to  a  family  many  miles  off,  and  the  minis- 
ter's wife  told  it  again  to  her  class,  when  a  young  woman 
was  awakened  by  it  to  care  for  her  soul.  0,  gracious 
Spirit,  use  it  again  for  the  good  of  all  who  read  this,  and 
thus  glorify  the  spotless  Lamb  of  God. 

Have  you? — "A  venerable  minister  of  Christ  was 
lying  on  his  death-bed  about  sixty  years  ago.  As  he 
was  extremely  feeble,  and  occasionally  delirious,  the 
physicians  forbade  any  one  but  his  attendants  to  be 
admitted  to  his  room.  But  David,  a  boy  belonging  to 
his  congregation,  ventured  to  trespass  so  far  as  to  peep 
through  his  door.  The  aged  man  of  God  saw  him,  and 
beckoned  him  to  his  bed-side.  '  David,'  said  he,  '  have 
you  ever  closed  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  for  the  pardon 
of  your  sins  and  justification  before  God  ?  Many  a  time 
have  J  done  it,  David,  in  that  little  room,'  pointing  to 
his  study.  The  string  was  drawn  by  a  dying  hand,  but 
the  arrow  reached  the  mark.  David  lost  no  time  in 
^  closing  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;'  and  after  an  ex-^ 


262  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

emplarj  life  of  fifty  years,  died  in  the  peace  of  the  gospel 
about  four  years  ago." — Christian  Treasury. 

PATH  OF  PROVIDENCE. 

"  Those  who  make  the  glory  of  God  their  end,  and. 
the  word  of  God  their  rule,  the  Spirit  of  God  the  guide 
of  their  affections,  and  the  providence  of  God  the  guide 
of  their  affairs ;  may  be  sure  the  Lord  goes  before  them, 
though  they  cannot  see  it  with  their  eyes.  '  We  w^alk 
by  faith,  not  by  sight.'  "     (2  Cor.  v.  1.)— Henry. 

"  We  must  not  go  a  step  out  of  our  way,  either  to 
meet  the  cross  or  to  miss  it." — Philip  Henry. 

"  The  believer  never  carves  for  himself,  but  he  cuts 
his  fingers." — Toplady. 

The  veil  which  conceals  the  future  from  us  is  woven 
by  the  hands  of  mercy. 

"  There  is  no  one  so  suitable  to  lead  me,  as  He  who 
first  sought  me  out  in  the  dark." — J.  H.  JEvans. 

"A  MAN  is  never  such  a  free  man,  as  when  he  is  led 
by  the  Spirit  of  God."— JM. 

Many  men  are  constantly  lamenting  their  misfortunes, 
and  wishing  that  their  place  was  changed,  that  they 
might  find  a  more  congenial  sphere.  But  if  a  man  can- 
not be  a  Christian  where  he  is  (providing  his  calling  be 
not  unlawful),  he  cannot  be  a  Christian  anywhere. 

Do  THE  BEST  where  you  are,  and  when  that  is  accom- 
plished, God  may  open  a  door  for  you,  and  a  voice  call 
— "  Come  i\p  higher."  "  The  best  way,"  says  the  Rev. 
E.  Bickersteth,  "  to  get  more  talents,  is  to  employ  more 
faithfully  the  talents  we  have." 

"  What  some  call  providential  openings,  are  often 
powerful  temptations;  the  heart,  in  wandering,  cries, 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  263 

*  Here  is  a  way  opened  before  me ;'  but  perhaps  not  to  be 
trodden,  but  rejected." — John  Newton. 

In  driving  home  from  the  country,  as  we  near  the 
crowded  town,  we  begin  to  feel  the  .change  from  th«  fresh- 
ness of  the  clear  air  to  the  smoky  and  oppressive  atmos- 
phere ;  yet  we  know  that  there  lie  our  home  and  our 
duty.  The  feeling  of  duly  is  at  times  oppressive  ;  but 
where  his  proper  path  is,  there  the  Christian  should  be 
willing  to  abide. 

"  We  generally  suppose  when  we  are  called  to  a  duty, 
ten  times  as  many  difficulties  as  there  are.  How  many 
supposed  difficulties  did  Moses  set  before  himself  when 
God  was  sending  him  into  Egypt ;  yet,  when  he  comes 
there,  he  meets  with  none  of  them  as  he  imagined.  Did 
we  but  throw  away  all  our  supposed  difficulties  and  take 
up  such  only  as  are  real,  the  burden  of  difficulties 
would  not  be  half  as  heavy  as  commonly  it  is."^ — 
TillingJiast. 

"  It  has  always  been  my  aim,  and  it  is  my  prayer, 
to  have  no  plan  as  regards  myself;  well-assured  as  I 
am,  that  the  place  where  the  Saviour  sees  meet  to 
place  me,  must  ever  be  the  best  place  for  me." — 
M'Cheyne. 

"  When  the  fruit  is  yet  green,  the  stem  holds  tightly 
to  the  bough,  but  when  it  is  ripe,  it  falls  with  the  first 
wind.  So  hold  on  tightly  to  your  plans  in  life,  until 
God  shows  you  they  are  ripe,  that  they  have  accom- 
plished their  purpose,  and  then  let  go — let  them  go  with- 
out a  murmur." — Beecher. 

The  broken  finger-post. — It  will  sometimes  solve 
half  the  difficulty  of  knowing  which  way  we  should  go 
to  be  able  to  see  a  particulir  way  in  wlnVh  we  should  not 


264  ILLUSTKATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

go;  like  the  traveler  who  came  to  the  place  ■where  the 
road  branched  off  in  two  directions,  and  found  a  finger- 
post, on  the  left  arm  of  which  was  the  name  of  two 
towns  to  which  he  did  not  wish  to  go.  The  other  arm 
was  broken  off.  "Well,  come,"  said  he,  "I  know  at 
least  the  road  I  am  not  to  take." 

PATIENCE— DIVINE. 

God's  patience  is  lasting^  but  it  is  not  everlasting. 

"  What  venom  must  there  be  in  the  corruption  of  my 
nature,  that  can  suck  poison  out  of  such  a  sweet  attri- 
bute as  the  patience  of  God  !" — Cotton. 

Our  glass  runs  in  heaven,  and  we  cannot  see  how 
much  or  how  little  of  the  sand  of  God's  patience  is  yet 
to  run  down. 

"  Suppose  a  man  should  come  into  a  curious  arti- 
ficer's shop,  and  there,  with  one  blow,  dash  in  pieces 
such  a  piece  of  art  as  had  cost  many  years'  study  and 
pains  in  the  contriving  thereof,  how  could  he  bear  with 
it,  how  would  he  take  on  to  see  the  workmanship  of  his 
hands  so  rashly,  so  wilfully  destroyed  ?  He  could  not 
but  take  it  ill,  and  be  much  troubled  thereat.  Thus  it 
is  that  as  soon  as  God  had  set  up  and  perfected  the 
frame  of  the  world,  sin  gave  a  subtle  shake  to  all,  it  un- 
pinned the  frame,  and  had  like  to  have  pulled  all  in 
pieces  again ;  nay,  had  it  not  been  for  the  promise  of 
Christ,  all  this  goodly  frame  had  been  reduced  to  its 
primitive  nothing  again.  Man  by  his  sin  had  pulled 
down  all  about  his  ears,  but  God  in  mercy  keeps  it  up ; 
man  by  his  sin  provokes  God,  but  God  in  mercy  passeth 
by  all  affronts  whatsoever.  Oh,  the  wonderful  mercy ! 
OL  the  omnipotent  patience  of  God  !" — Spencer. 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  265 

PATIENCE— CHRISTIAN. 

"Patience,"  says  Buffon,  "is  genius." 

"Patience,"  says  another  writer,  "is  power." 

"Patience,"  says  Macduff,  "is  one  of  the  few  vir 
tues  that  can  only  be  manifested  in  this  world." 

"It  seems  to  me,"  says  Lady  Powerscourt,  "a  grace 
made  up  of  two, — liope  and  experience  ;  realizing  hope, 
repressed  by  experience  of  wilderness  love." 

The  impatient  patient  makes  the  surgeon  more 
severe. 

"  People  often  fail  in  patience  under  small  trials,  be- 
cause they  look  only  to  secondary  motives  for  support." 
— Mrs.  Cameron. 

"We  should  accustom  ourselves  to  self-denial  and 
patient  waiting ;  for  the  blessings  that  God  reserves  for 
his  people  are  like  fruit  which  will  be  wholesome 
when  it  has  had  time  to  ripen,  but  will  certainly  be 
noxious  if  greedily  and  prematurely  gathered." — Scott. 

"  There  is  no  greater  help  to  holiness  than  a  con- 
tinual tranquility  of  spirit,  the  evenness  of  a  mind 
stayed  upon  God,  and  calmly  reposing  on  the  blood  of 
Jesus.     All  fear  freezes  and  benumbs." — Wesley. 

"  Patience  is  the  ballast  of  the  soul,  that  will  keep 
it  from  rolling  and  tumbling  in  the  greatest  storms ;  and 
he  that  will  venture  out  without  this  to  make  him  sail 
even  and  steady,  will  certainly  make  shipwreck  and 
drown  himself,  first  in  the  cares  and  sorrows  of  this 
world,  and  then  in  perdition." — Hopkins. 

An  Eastern  proverb  says,  "  With  time  and  patience, 
the  mulberry  leaf  becomes  satin." 

If  God  afflict  you,  let  not  impatience  add  to  the  afflic- 
tion. 

23 


266  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

"  Patience  is  the  opposite  of  that  impatience  which 
cannot  wait ;  and  the  proper  exercise  of  patience  is  one 
of  the  difficulties  of  spiritual  life.  We  are  disappointed 
if  the  harvest  do  not  come  at  once.  Alas  !  a  little  ex- 
perience will  correct  this.  If  the  husbandman,  disap- 
pointed at  the  delay  which  ensues  before  the  blade  breaks 
the  soil,  were  to  rake  away  the  earth  to  examine  if  ger- 
mination were  going  on,  he  would  have  a  poor  harvest. 
He  must  have  ^  long  patience  till  he  receive  the  early  and 
latter  rain.'  The  winter  frost  must  mellow  the  seed 
lying  in  the  genial  bosom  of  the  earth;  the  rains  of 
spring  must  swell  it,  and  the  suns  of  summer  mature  it. 
So  with  you.  It  is  the  work  of  a  long  life  to  become  a 
Christian. ' ' — Robertson. 

"The  physician  turns  the  hour-glass,  and  resolves 
the  physic  shall  work  so  long ;  the  impatient  patient 
desires  ease,  cries  out  he  is  tormented,  and  thinks  every 
hour  two  till  he  be  refreshed ;  but  the  other  knows  the 
fittest  time,  and  will  not  till  then  afford  any  comfort  at 
all.  Thus  the  children  of  God  cry  out  in  the  midst  of 
their  heavy  pressures,  '  How  long,  Lord,  how  long  shall 
the  rod  of  the  wicked  he  always  upon  the  hack  of  the 
righteous  T  But  he  hath  turned  the  glass,  he  will  not 
hearken  to  their  cry ;  they  must  stay  their  time.  He 
knows  best  when  and  how  to  deliver  them,  had  they  but 
so  much  faith  as  to  believe  it,  or  patience  to  wait  for  it." 
— Spencer. 

"  Patience  is  a  holy  behaviour  in  affliction ;  it  is  a 
virtue  exercised  in  adversities ;  a  grace  that  keeps  a  man 
gracious  in  all  conditions ;  good  in  a  bad  condition ;  holy 
against  all  disadvantages  of  holiness,  within  or  without. 
^    .  .    .    Patience   takes   away  the   sin   of  misery,  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  26T 

misery  of  misery,  the  afflicting  strength  of  misery ;  the 
sting  and  teeth  of  every  affliction ;  the  malignity  of  every 
cup  of  trembling ;  the  unhappiness  of  every  sad  condi- 
tion, and  makes  a  felicity  in  misery It  is  Jonah 

praying  in  the  whale  s  helly.  Patience  is  an  even  sea 
in  all  winds ;  a  serene  soul  in  all  weathers ;  a  thread 
even  spun  with  every  wheel  of  providence.  It  is  a 
soul  above  extremes ;  neither  in  excess  nor  in  defect ; 
neither  over-sensible  nor  under-sensible  of  any  affliction ; 
neither  without  tears  nor  without  hope ;  neither  murmur- 
ing nor  presuming ;  neither  despising  chastisement,  nor 
fainting  when  corrected.  ,  Patience  gives  sweet  language 
for  sour ;  yea,  patience  can  give  no  ill  language. 
Patience  is  Jacob  sleeping  heartily  upon  a  stone  ;  a  heart 
at  rest  in  hardships.  It  is  a  poor  widow  cheerfully  giving 
and  obeying  a  prophet,  though  but  a  little  ilieal  in  the 
barrel,  but  a  little  oil  in  the  cruse ;  it  is  one  cheerfully 
going  to  eat  her  last  provision  and  die ;  it  is  one  quietly 
going  up  to  take  a  view  of  Canaan,  and  die  at  the  door ; 
making  death,  life, — Christ,  Canaan.  It  is  one  going  to 
sacrifice  an  only  son,  with  a  '  God  will  provide.' 
Patience  can  speak  no  worse  divinity  in  the  greatest 
strait.  It  is  one  breathing  out  a  soul  at  rest,  in  the 
face  of  the  criiellest  misery.  '  Not  my  will,  but  Thy  will 
be  done.'  If  this  cup  may  not  pass,  let  my  blood  pass; 
if  this  cause  cannot  live  without  I  die,  let  me  die.  It  is 
said  '  Tribulation  worketh  patience ;'  before  tribulation 
comes  a  man  is  calm  in  a  calm ;  whereas  patience 
properly  is  calmness  in  a  storm." — Lochyers  Balm  of 
G-ilead. 

That  was  a  humbling  confession  of  the  great  re- 
former, Calvin,  when  he  wrote  to  Bucer,  "  I  have  not  so 


268  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

great  a  struggle  with  my  vices,  great  and  numerous  as 
they  are,  as  I  have  with  my  impatience.  My  efforts  are 
not  absolutely  useless,  yet  I  have  never  been  able  to  con- 
quer this  ferocious  wild  beast." 

Mr.  Gouge,  the  author  of  the  Puritan  Commentary 
on  the  Hebrews,  and 'other  works,  was  eminent  for  his 
patient  endurance  of  suffering  and  pain  in  his  old  age. 
Great  as  his  sufferings  were,  he  was  never  heard  to  call 
himself  great  sufferer,  but  great  sinner.  He  would 
often  say,  "  Soul,  be  silent ;  soul,  be  patient ;  it  is  thy 
God  and  Father  that  thus  ordereth  thy  estate.  Thou 
art  his  clay ;  he  may  tread  and  trample  on  thee,  as  it 
pleaseth  him ;  thou  hast  deserved  much  more ;  it  is 
enough  that  thou  art  kept  out  of  hell.  Though  thy  pain 
be  grievous,  yet  it  is  tolerable ;  thy  God  affords  some 
intermissions.  He  will  turn  it  to  thy  good,  and  at  length 
put  an  end  to  all.  None  of  these  can  be  expected  in 
hell."  In  the  greatest  agonies  he  would  say,  "Well,  yet 
in  all  these  there  is  nothing  of  hell  or  God's  wrath." — 
Buck's  Anecdotes. 

PEACE— FALSE. 

"A  WICKED  man's  conscience  is  not  pacified,  but 
benumbed;  and  the  wrath  of  God  not  a  dead  but  a 
sleeping  lion.  A  sinner's  peace  is  unsound  and  seem- 
ing ;  in  the  face,  not  in  the  heart ;  a  superficial  sprink- 
ling,  not  a  ground  shower ;  he  having  in  laughter  his 
heart  sad,  may  truly  in  it  say,  with  Sarah,  '  I  laughed 
not;'  he  being  in  his  rejoicing,  as  in  his  mourning,  a 
hypocrite.  Ask  not  the  countenance  but  the  conscience 
of  a  sinner  whether  he  rejoices.  The  guilt  of  his  sin  is 
an  unseen  sore,  a  hidden  ulcer.     His  peace  relieves  him 


ILLUSTEATIVE   GATHERINGS.  269 

not ;  it  is  no  preservation  to  his  heart  in  persecution  or 
distress ;  it  leaves  him,  like  Absalom's  mule,  when  he 
hangs  in  any  woe,  and  stands  most  in  need  thereof.  His 
peace  stands  only  in  the  avoiding  of  troubles,  not  in  the 
sweet  enjoying  of  God  in  his  troubles ;  it  is  as  uncertain 
as  a  dream,  or  as  the  crackling  of  thorns  under  a  pot, 
Job  XX.  5 ;  Eccl.  vii.  6.  His  days  of  mourning  will 
surely  come.  Deluded  he  is  with  a  groundless  conceit 
of  vain  hopes ;  he  is  like  a  child  in  a  siege,  not  appre- 
hensive of  his  danger,  but  busy  at  sport,  while  the  pa- 
rents are  at  the  breach,  and  the  city  ready  to  be  sacked ; 
he  is  secure,  but  not  safe." — Jenhyn. 

"  That  peace  is  an  evil  peace  that  doth  shut  truth 
out  of  doors.  If  peace  and  truth  cannot  go  together, 
truth  is  to  be  preferred,  and  rather  to  be  chosen  for  a 
companion  than  peace." — Tillinghast. 

The  world  of  the  rich  man  is  like  the  Pacific  Ocean^ 
so  called  because  it  was  supposed  to  be  peculiarly  calm 
and  peaceful ;  but  Sir  Francis  Drake,  and  many  hun- 
dreds of  unhappy  voyagers,  have  found  its  name  did  but 
belie  its  real  character ;  such  is  the  world's  false  cry — 
"Peace,  peace,  when  there  is  no  peace."  Jer.  vi.  14; 
Ezek.  xiii.  10 ;  Is.  Ivii.  20,  21. 

"It  is  beyond  all  controversy  that  no  peace  for  a 
while,  is  better  than  ^  false  peace  without  interruption." 
■ — Cruso. 

PEACE— TRUE  CHRISTIAN 

" is  love  reposing.     It  is  love  on  the  green 

pastures ;   it  is  love  beside  the  still  waters.     It  is  that 
great  calm  which  comes  over  the  conscience,  when  it 
sees  the  atonement  sufficient  and  the   Saviour  willing. 
23  » 


270  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

It  is  unclouded  azure  in  a  lake  of  glass ;  it  is  the  soul 
which  Christ  has  pacified,  spread  out  in  serenity  and 
simple  faith,  and  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious, 
smiling  over  it." — Br.  Hamilton. 

—  IS  THE  EVERY-DAY  DRESS  of  the  WORKING  CHRIS- 
TIAN.— "  Peace  is  a  lowly  genial  garb.  There  are  many 
other  graces,  which  are  far  more  attractive,  and  bear  a 
far  higher  name.  But  none  more  useful,  more  constant, 
as  an  abiding  guest  in  the  broken  heart.  The  courage 
of  a  Christian  may  carry  him  onward  with  far  stronger 
pinion  or  with  firmer  step  ; — the  zeal  of  a  Christian  may 
make  him  do  greater  things  for  God ;  humility  may  bear 
him  deeper  on  to  the  fertile  valley ;  charity  may  com- 
mend him  before  others,  and  have  more  admirers ;  ecs- 
tatic joy  and  rapture  may  bring  more  delight; — but 
peace  is  more  constant,  equable,  homely.  It  is  the  every- 
day dress  of  the  believer's  soul  when  he  goes  forth  in 
the  morning  to  labor,  and  returns  in  the  evening  to  rest. 
Peace  is  the  Christian,  resting  in  the  green  pastures — 
reclining  beside  the  still  waters — resting  under  the  shadow 
of  the  great  Rock.  The  Lord  therefore  left  peace  as 
his  last  legacy  to  the  Church.  '  Peace  I  leave  with  you ; 
my  peace  I  give  unto  you.'  " 

—  RULES  in  the  heart.  (Col.  iii.  15.)  ''  It  is  not 
in  cortice,  but  in  corde  ;  in  the  hea»t,  not  in  the  habit ; 
in  the  conscience,  not  in  the  looks ;  it  is  in  the  breast, 
not  on  the  brow ;  not  sufi*ering  a  man  to  be  like  some 
prisons, — beautiful  without,  but  full  of  horror,  blackness, 
chains,  and  dungeons  within !  It  is  a  peace,  not  resid- 
ing in  the  hall  of  the  senses,  but  in  the  closet  of  the 
heart.  A  saint's  peace  is  a  silent  calmness ;  an  unseen 
quietness;   meat,   of  which   those   without   know   not; 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  271 

like  the  windows  of  Solomon's  temple,  narrow  without, 
broad  within;  the  worst,  the  unbeautiful,  the  black 
side  of  the  cloud  is  seen  when  the  bright  is  hidden." — 
Jenkyn. 

''  All  the  peace  and  favor  of  the  world  cannot  calm 
a  troubled  heart ;  but  where  the  peace  is  that  Christ 
gives,  all  the  trouble  and  disquiet  of  the  world  cannot 
disturb  it.  Outward  distress,  to  a  mind  thus  at  peace, 
is  but  the  rattling  of  the  hail  upon  the  tiles,  to  him 
that  sits  within  the  house,  at  a  sumptuous  feast." — 
Leighton. 

Calm — deep — repose. — "There  are  depths  in  the 
ocean,  I  am  told,  which  no  tempest  ever  stirs ;  they  are 
beyond  the  reach  of  all  storms,  which  sweep  and  agitate 
the  surface  of  the  sea.  And  there  are  heights  in  the 
blue  sky  above  to  which  no  cloud  ever  ascends,  where 
no  tempest  ever  rages,  where  all  is  perpetual  sunshine, 
and  nought  exists  to  disturb  the  deep  serene.  Each  of 
these  is  an  emblem  of  the  soul  which  Jesus  visits ;  to 
whom  he  speaks  peace,  whose  fear  he  dispels,  and  whose 
lamp  of  hope  lie  trims." — Tweedie. 

Dew  falls  in  calm  nights,  when  the  air  is  still  and 
soft ;  even  thus  peace  sweetly  distils  upon  the  still  and 
resting  heart,  free  from  passion  and  distemper,  with  its 
enriching  and  refreshing  influence. 

The  peace — rather  than  the  power  of  God—* 
RULES  IN  THE  BELIEVER'S  HEART. — "  The  terrors  of  the 
Lord  are  great,  but  they  do  not  exercise  supreme  sway 
in  a  human  heart,  and  lead  all  its  affections  whitherso- 
ever they  will.  His  anger  is  not  a  ruling,  leading,  draw- 
ing power.  It  is  mighty,  but  not  to  save.  It  is  a  force 
that  casts  the  wicked  into  hell ;  but  not  a  force  that  can 


272  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

Win  any  son  of  man  near  in  willing  obedience.  It  is 
not  a  force  in  that  direction.  The  stream  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi is  a  great  power ;  it  floats  loaded  ships  or  fallen 
forests  downward  with  great  velocity  to  the  sea ;  but  it 
cannot  impel  one  tiny  boat  upward  to  the  fertile  regions 
near  its  source.  This  is  done  by  another  and  an  oppo- 
site power :  a  breath  from  heaven  in  the  sail  will  carry 
the  vessel  up  against  the  stream.  So  with  the  mani- 
fested terror  of  the  Lord  against  all  unrighteousness  of 
men ;  its  power  is  great — greater  than  we  can  know — 
who  knoweth  the  power  of  thine  anger  ?  but  it  do^s  not 
lead  any  one  any  way  in  the  path  of  righteousness." — 
Arnott. 

"But  what  is  peace? — Peace  is  holy  tranquility, 
even  in  the  aspect  of  lost  years ;  peace  is  a  silent  sab- 
bath of  the  heart  at  every  occurrence,  peace  is  a  holy 
boldness  before  God  and  man ;  peace  is  a  healed  con- 
science, although  fully  aware  of  our  guilt ;  peace  is  a 
feeling  of  victory  as  opposed  to  the  world,  Satan,  death, 
and  judgment.  Peace  is  greater  than  all  other  treasures, 
but  no  philosophy  can  bestow  it ;  for  how  can  the  latter 
cleanse  from  sin  ?  Not  any  works,  for  how  are  tliey 
able  to  justify?  Descend  into  whatever  mine,  shake 
whatever  tree,  knock  at  whatever  door  in  the  world  thou 
wilt,  the  poor  world  cannot  offer  it  thee.  Peace  is  but 
dne :  One  only  has  peace ;  One  only  can  give  it ;  know 
ye  Him  who  says,  '  These  things  I  have  spoken  unto  you, 
that  in  them  ye  might  have  peace  ?  In  the  world  ye 
shall  have  tribulation;  but  be  of  good  cheer;  I  have 
overcome  the  world.'  His  name  is  the  Prince  of  Peace." 
— Dr.  Krummaeher. 

The  sleeping  martyr. — Most  persons  have  seen  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  273 

beautiful  and  touching  print  of  the  Martyr  asleep,  before 
his  combat  with  lions.  The  jailor  coming  to  open  the 
door,  which  reveals  the  vast  crowd  awaiting  in  the  amphi- 
theatre— the  lions  fierce  with  hunger,  thirsting  for  blood 
— the  calm,  celestial  peace  on  the  face  of  the  Christian, 
yet  asleep,  so  soon  to  be  a  martyr !  Few  words  could 
express  more  forcibly  the  calm  repose  of  holy  peace — 
that  peace  which  gives  such  boldness  in  life  and  fearless 
faith  in  the  prospect  of  cruel  death. 

Ridley  the  martyr  felt  it.  When  his  brother  offered 
to  remain  with  him  the  night  before  his  martyrdom,  the 
Bishop  declined,  saying  that  "  he  meant  to  go  to  bed, 
and  sleep  as  quietly  as  ever  he  did  in  his  life."  And  to 
Mrs.  Irish,  who  was  shedding  tears,  he  tenderly  spoke, 
and  bade  her  be  composed,  as  "though  his  breakfast 
would  be  sharp  and  painful,  yet  he  was  sure  his  supper 
would  be  more  pleasant  and  sweet." 

The  DYING  SOLDIER. — "Put  me  down,"  said  a  wounded 
soldier  in  the  Crimea,  to  his  comrades,  who  were  carry- 
ing him,  "put  me  down;  do  not  take  the  trouble  to 
carry  me  further:  I  am  dying."  They  put  him  down, 
and  returned  to  the  field.  A  few  minutes  after  an  officer 
saw  the  man  weltering  in  his  blood,  and  said  to  him, 
"  Can  I  do  anything  for  you  ?" 

"Nothing,  thank  you." 

"  Shall  I  get  you  a  little  water  ?"  said  the  kind-hearted 
officer. 

"No,  thank  you;  I  am  dying." 

"  Is  there  anything  I  can  do  for  you  ?  Shall  I  write 
10  your  friends?" 

"  I  have  no  friends  that  you  can  write  to.  But  there 
is  one  thing  for  which  I  would  be  much  obliged.     In  my 


274  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

knapsack  you  will  find  a  Testament ;  will  you  open  it  at 
the  14th  chapter  of  John,  and  near  the  end  of  the  chapter 
you  will  find  a  verse  that  begins  with  '  peace.'  Will  you 
read  it?" 

The  officer  did  so,  and  read  the  words,  "  Peace  I  leave 
with  you,  my  peace  I  give  unto  you :  not  as  the  world 
giveth  give  I  unto  you.  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled, 
neither  let  it  be  afraid."     {John  xiv.  27.) 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  said  the  dying  man.  "  I  have  that 
peace — I  am  going  to  that  Saviour — God  is  with  me — T 
want  no  more;"  and  instantly  expired. 

PERSECUTION. 

The  best  rule  under  persecution  is,  if  you  are  made 
to  suff'er  for  religion,  see  that  religion  do  not  sufi'er  by 
you. 

Suffering  seasons  are  sifting  seasons,  in  which  the 
Christian  loses  his  chaff,  and  the  hypocrite  his  corn. 

"  Persecutions  are  beneficial  to  the  righteous.  They 
are  a  hail  of  precious  stones ;  which,  it  is  true,  rob  the 
vine  of  her  leaves,  but  give  her  possessor  a  more  precious 
treasure  instead." 

The  church  has  sometimes  been  brought  to  so  low 
and  obscure  a  point,  that  if  you  can  follow  her  in  his- 
tory, it  is  by  the  track  of  her  blood,  and  if  you  would 
see  her,  it  is  by  the  light  of  those  fires,  in  which  her 
martyrs  have  been  burnt;  yet  hath  she  still  come 
through,  and  survived  all  that  wrath,  and  still  shall 
till  she  be  made  perfectly  triumphant." — Archbishop 
Leighton. 

''Is  IT  HUMANITY  to  Stand  on  the  shore,  and  seeing ■ 
men  in  a  storm  at  sea,  wherein  they  are  ready  every 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  275 

moment  to  be  cast  away  and  to  perish,  to  storm  at  them 
ourselves,  or  to  shoot  them  to  death,  or  to  cast  fire  into 
their  vessel,  because  they  are  in  danger  of  being  drowned? 
Yet,  no  otherwise  do  we  deal  with  those  whom  we  per- 
secute because  they  miss  the  knowledge  of  the  truth ; 
and  it  may  be  we  raise  a  worse  storm  in  ourselves,  as  to 
our  own  morals,  than  they  su]ffer  under  as  to  their  in- 
tellectuals. ' ' —  Owen. 

The  church  may  be  oppressed,  but  it  shall  never  be 


The  church  has  often  been  in  the  fire,  but  she  has 
risen  out  of  it,  beautiful  and  vigorous  like  the  phoenix. 

The  Lord  overrules. — "  The  physician  letteth  a  man 
bleed  by  the  application  of  leeches,  and  they  mck  much 
blood  from  him ;  but  the  physician's  ends  are  one  thing 
and  the  leeches'  ends  are  another  thing ;  the  leech  draw- 
eth  blood  from  the  man  only  to  satisfy  itself;  but  the 
physician  letteth  the  man's  blood  to  cure  his  distemper. 
Such  is  the  difi'erence  between  God's  ends  and  wicked 
men's  ends,  in  the  persecution  of  his  own  people ;  God 
by  sufi'ering  his  Church  and  people  to  be  persecuted,  it 
is  to  purge  away  their  evil  distempers  of  sin  and  security, 
or  whatsoever  it  is  that  may  offend,  that  thereby  he  may 
make  his  people  better  by  their  afflictions ;  but  wicked 
and  ungodly  men  by  troubling  the  Church,  it  is  to  destroy 
them  and  root  them  out,  that  they  may  be  no  more  a 
people  to  accomplish  their  own  wicked  designs,  and  to 
satisfy  their  rage  and  malice  upon  them  in  their  utter 
overthrow  and  ruin.  These  are  their  ends,  but  God 
hath  other  ends ;  as  Joseph  said  to  his  brethen.  You  did 
intend  me  hurt,  but  God  did  intend  me  good ;  so  it  may 
be  said  concerning  all  ungodly,  wicked  men,  they  do 


276  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

intend  evil  against  the  Cliurch  and  people  of  God,  but 
God  intends  his  people's  good ;  they  intend  to  persecute 
and  destroy,  but  he  intends  (maugre  all  their  contrive- 
ments  whatsoever)  to  preserve,  keep,  and  continue  his 
Church  to  the  end  of  the  world.  Let  the  Church's 
enemies  plough  never  so  deeply,  and  make  furrows  on 
the  backs  of  God's  people  never  so  long ;  yet  God's  ends 
are  grace  and  mercy  and  peace  to  do  them  good  in  the 
latter  end." — Spencer. 

"Almost  all  persecutors  of  the  Church  of  Christ 
have  come  to  an  untimely  end.  Thus  Nero  and  Severus 
killed  themselves,  Domitian,  Trajan,  Maximinius,  Decius, 
Gallus,  Valerian,  Dioclesian,  and  Julian  the  Apostate, 
were  kille  1  by  others.  God's  Church  has  always  been 
very  dear  to  him,  and  the  judgments  he  has  shown  those 
who  persecute  it,  not  only  prove  his  just  indignation 
against  those  who  attempt  to  destroy  it,  but  are  so  many 
testimonies  of  special  love  to  his  people,  and  should 
encourage  them." — Flavel. 

"Do  THEY  cast  us  out  of  the  city?  They  cannot 
cast  us  out  of  that  which  is  in  the  heavens.  If  they 
who  hate  us  could  do  this,  they  would  be  doing  something 
real  against  us.  So  long,  however,  as  they  cannot  do 
this,  they  are  but  pelting  us  with  drops  of  water  or 
striking  us  with  the  wind." — Qregory  Nazianzen. 

"  The  only  thing  we  have  really  to  be  afraid  of, 
is  fearing  anything  more  than  God." — Gregory  Nazi- 
anzen. 

Beza,  the  Reformer,  well  replied  to  the  King  of  Na- 
varre, "  Sire,  it  belongs  truly  to  God's  Church  rather  to 
suffer  blows  than  to  strike  them;  but  let  it  be  your 


.ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  277 

pleasure  to  remember  that  the  Church  is  an  anvil,  which 
hath  worn  out  many  a  hammer,^* 

t 

PEESEVERANCE. 

^'  A  stroke  at  every  tree  fells  none." 

"The  waters  wear  the  stones,"  not  by  force,  but  by 
continual  dropping. 

Like  raising  heavy  weights — all  the  labor  is  lost,  if  it 
be  not  kept  up  to  the  end. 

The  PATIENT  MULE  which  travels  night  and  aay,  will, 
in  the  end,  go  farther  than  the  Arabian  courser.  (So 
we  learn  in  the  familiar  fable  of  the  hare  and  the  tor- 
tois.e.) 

Perseverance  is  failing  nineteen  times,  and  suc- 
ceeding the  twentieth ;  like  Bruce's  famous  spider,  which 
has  taught  the  world  the  best  lesson  that  spider  ever 
taught ! 

Stephenson,  the  great  engineer,  who  has  done  so 
much  to  alter  the  whole  face  of  society,  began  life  with 
this  motto — Persevere. 

Arago  says  in  his  Autobiography,  that  his  master  in 
mathematics  was  a  word  or  two  of  advice,  which  he 
found  in  the  binding  of  one  of  his  text  books.  Puzzled 
and  discouraged  by  the  difficulties  he  met  with  in  his 
early  studies,  he  was  almost  ready  to  give  over  the  pur- 
suit. Some  words  which  he  found  on  the  waste  leaf 
used  to  stiffen  the  cover  of  his  paper-bound  text-book, 
caught  his  eye  and  interested  him.  "Impelled,"  he 
says,  "  by  an  indefinable  curiosity,  I  dampened  the  cover 
of  the  book,  and  carefully  unrolled  the  leaf  to  see  what 
was  on  the  other  side.  It  proved  to  be  a  short  letter  from 
D'Alembert  to  a  young  person,  disheartened  like  him 


278  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

Belf  by  the  difficulties  of  mathematical  study,  and  who 
had  written  to  him  for  counsel.  '  Go  on,  sir,  go  on,'  was 
the  counsel  which  D'Alembert  gave  him.  '  The  difficul- 
ties you  meet  will  resolve  themselves  as  you  advance. 
Proceed,  and  Hght  will  dawn  and  shine  with  increasing 
clearness  on  your  path.' 

"That  maxim,"  says  Arago,  "was  my  greatest  mas- 
ter in  mathematics."  Following  out  these  simple  words, 
"  Go  on,  sir,  go  on,''  made  him  the  first  astronomical 
mathematician  of  his  age.  What  Christians  it  would 
make  of  us !  what  heroes  of  faith,  what  sages  in  holy 
wisdom  should  we  become,  just  by  acting  out  that  maxim, 
"  G-o  on,  go  onF' 

Sir  Isaac  Newton  says  that  he  did  not  consider  he 
had  any  advantage  over  other  men,  except  that  whatever 
he  thought  of  sufficient  importance  to  begin,  he  had  suf- 
ficient resolution  to  continue,  until  he  had  accomplishe'H 
his  object. 

John  Wesley,  when  once  asked  by  what  magic  he 
Had  rendered  his  followers  so  efficient,  is  said  to  have 
given  the  reply,  that  "  they  were  all  at  it,  and  always 
at  it."  Each  new  adherent  was  made  to  work  and  kept 
to  work. 

A  CHILD  once  furnished  a  good  idea  on  this  subject. 
A  poor  woman  had  a  supply  of  coal  laid  at  her  door  by 
a  charitable  neighbor.  A  very  little  girl  c'ame  out, 
with  a  small  fire-shovel,  and  began  to  take  up  a  shovelful 
at  a  time,  and  carry  it  to  a  sort  of  bin  in  a  cellar.  A 
gentleman  who  was  passing  by,  said  to  the  child,  "  Do 
you  expect  to  get  all  that  coal  in  with  that  littlo 
shovel?"      The  child   seemed  rather  confused  by  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  279 

question,  but  modestly  replied,  "  Yes,  sir,  if  I  work  long 
enough." 

Be  not  weary  (Gal.  vi.  7).  Some  years  ago  a  boy 
went  to  a  Sabbath  school.  The  teacher  took  every  pos- 
sible pains  with  him,  and  anxiously  desired  and  sought 
his  conversion.  After  a  time,  as  the  boy  still  seemed 
hardened  to  the  truth,  his  teacher  in  despair  ceased  to 
speak  to  him  about  his  soul.  In  after-life,  however,  rtiat 
boy  became  a  decided  follower  of  the  Lamb ;  and,  one 
day,  when  conversing  upon  Christian  themes  with  his 
former  teacher,  he  referred  to  the  efforts  which  that 
teacher  had  made  for  his  conversion.  Listen  to  his 
words :  "I  felt  a  great  deal  when  you  used  to  talk  to 
me,  but  I  did  not  want  you  to  see  it.  I  even  tried  to 
pray,  and  the  more  I  prayed,  the  more  I  wanted  to  pray, 
and  the  more  earnest  I  was.  But,  at  length,  I  thought 
that  there  were  no  others  serious,  and  that  I  should  be 
ridiculed,  and  the  next  time  you  met  me  you  did  not 
press  me  to  seek  the  Lord,  and  I  by  degrees  lost  it  all. 
But  had  you  continued  to  urge  me  as  you  had  done  every 
time  you  saw  me,  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  I  should  have 
decided  for  God  then." 

PILGRIMS— BELIEVERS. 

The  ark  went  a  pilgrimage  of  nearly  a  thousand 
years  before  it  was  settled. 

The  Israelites — nearly  sixty  stations  in  the  forty 
years  of  their  pilgrimage  in  the  wilderness — and  what 
vicissitudes  in  their  constant  changes  ! 

The  feast  of  tabernacles  appointed  partly  to  re- 
mind them  in  after-ages  of  their  former  wanderings. 

Jacob's  staff. — What  a  memorial   of  weary  jour- 


280  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

neys,  and  changing  times,  mercj  and  trial,  sunshine  and 
cloud ! 

"  When  I  get  settled,  I'll "  so  people  are  al 

ways  planning,  but  how  little  they  think  of  the  uncer- 
tainty that  lies  in  that  first  word  ''when!'' 

"  A  father  with  his  little  son  is  journeying  overland 
to  California,  and  when  at  night  he  pitches  his  tent  in 
some  pleasant  valley,  the  child  is  charmed  with  the  spot, 
and  begs  his  father  to  rear  a  house  and  remain  there ; 
and  he  begins  to  make  a  little  fence  about  the  tent,  and 
digs  up  the  wild  flowers,  and  plants  them  within  the  en- 
closure. But  the  father  says,  '  No,  my  son.  Our  home 
is  far  distant.  Let  these  things  go,  for  to-morrow  we 
must  depart.'  Now  God  is  taking  us,  his  children,  as 
pilgrims  and  strangers  homeward ;  but  we  desire  to  build 
here,  and  must  be  often  overthrown  before  we  can 
learn  to  seek  'the  city  that  hath  foundations,  whose 
Builder  and  Maker  is  God.'  " — Beeeher. 

Archbishop  Leighton. — It  was  his  wish  to  die  at  an 
inn.  During  his  life,  he  had  been  often  heard  to  say 
that  this  was  his  desire,  because  it  looks  like  one  going 
home,  to  whom  the  whole  world  is  but  like  a  large  and 
noisy  inn,  and  he  a  wayfarer,  tarrying  in  it  as  short  a 
time  as  possible,  and  then  hasting  away  to  his  Father's 
house.  His  desire  was  granted.  He  died  at  the  Bell 
Inn,  Warwick  Lane,  June  25th,  1684. 

PLEASURE 

— is  like  a  cordial ;  a  little  of  it  is  not  injurious,  but 
too  much  destroys. 

All  carnal  pleasure  is  Satan's  bed,  into  which  he 
casts  his  victims. 


ILLUSTEATIVE    GATHERINGS.  281 

"  Think  not  that  a  pleasure  which  God  hath  threat- 
ened, nor  that  a  blessing  which  heaven  hath  cursed." — 
Quarles. 

Never  forget. — Gloss  covers  dross. 

^'The  pleasures  of  sense  will  surfeit  and  not 
satisfy ;  the  pleasures  of  religion  will  satisfy  but  not  sur- 
feit."— Henry. 

Fly  the  pleasure  which  bites  to-morrow. 

Pleasure  is  often  a  refreshing  draught,  if  we  do 
but  slightly  taste  it;  but  when  we  drink  too  deeply, 
there  is  a  sediment  at  the  bottom  of  the  cup,  which 
pollutes  and  embitters  what  we  found  so  sweet  at 
first. 

"  The  most  delicate,  the  most  sensible,  of  all  plea- 
sure consists  in  promoting  the  pleasures  of  others." — 
Bruyere. 

"Pleasure  must  first  have  the  warrant  that  it  is 
without  sin;  and  then  the  measure,  that  it  is  without 
excess." — Adams. 

How  often  we  gain  some  deep  experience  by  losing 
some  expected  pleasure. 

There  are  many  pleasures  which  we  should  do  well 
to  deal  with,  as  men  do  who  buy  honey — taste  a  little  on 
the  tip  of  the  finger,  not  take  up  a  handful,  for  fear  of 
a  surfeit. 

"Pleasures,  like  the  rose,  are  sweet,  but  prickly; 
the  honey  doth  not  countervail  the  sting;  all  the  world's 
delights  are  vanity,  and  end  in  vexation;  like  Judas, 
while  they  kiss,  they  betray.  I  would  neither  be  a  stone 
nor  an  epicure;  allow  of  no  pleasure,  nor  give  way  to 
all;  they  are  good  sauce,  but  naught  to  make  a  meal  of. 
24  * 


282  ILLUSTEATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

I  may  use  them  sometimes  for  digestion,  never  for  food." 
— Bishop  HShshaw. 

"The  world  may  have  many  pleasures — but  it  is 
culling  flowers  from  the  enemy's  land;  andz<;e  Christians 
must  take  care  that  no  nightshade  and  henbane  mix  un- 
wittingly with  our  garland." 

It  is  said  to  have  been  a  plan  sometimes  practiced  in 
the  middle  ages,  to  send  poisoned  flowers  to  princes  or 
great  persons,  when  a  plot  was  laid  against  their  life. 
Whether  the  fact  be  true  or  not,  the  moral  it  may  sug- 
gest is  true.  Pleasure's  poisoned  flowers  have  killed  their 
thousands,  and  not  only  rich,  but  poor,  and  that  in  the 
most  insidious  and  imperceptible  way. 

If  two  persons  were  to  pursue  the  same  track,  one 
scattering  roses  behind  him  all  the  way, — his  course 
would  soon  be  one  marked  only  by  withered  beauty.  If 
the  other  as  he  went  scattered  good  seeds  of  useful  grain, 
his  path  would  become  one  of  living  growth  and  abiding 
usefulness. 

''The  end  of  that  mirth  is  heaviness."  (Prov. 
xiv.  18.)  Life's  mirage  has  no  more  aff'ecting  illustra- 
tions of  this  mournful  proverb,  than  the  end  of  many 
who  have  been  the  chief  providers  of  pleasure.  Take 
a  few  instances : — 

Cervantes,  at  a  time  when  all  Spain  was  laughing  at  the 
humorous  flights  of  his  pen,  was  himself  overwhelmed 
with  a  deep  cloud  of  melajacholy. 

Moliere,  the  first  of  French  comic  writers,  carried  into 
his  domestic  circle  a  sadness  which  the  greatest  worldly 
prosperity  could  never  dispel. 

Samuel  Foote,  a  noted  wit  of  the  last  century,' died 
of  a  broken  heart. 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  283 

Disraeli  mentions  that  one  morning,  meeting  in  a 
bookseller's  shop  a  squalid  and  wretched-looking  man, 
the  very  picture  of  misery,  he  was  astonished  to  learn 
that  he  was  a  person  who  was  then  amusing  the  metro- 
polis by  his  witty  effusions  in  verse. 

Grimaldi,  the  famous  clown;  the  anecdote  is  well 
known  of  his  consulting  a  physician  for  the  cure  of 
melancholy,  and  being  told  to  go  and  hear  Grimaldi; 
"Alas!  Sir,"  said  he,  "I  am  Grimaldi!" 

Shenstone,  an  artist  in  landscape  gardening,  said  he 
knew  the  turn  in  his  life,  which  led  to  unhappiness, — it 
was  when  he  made  pleasure  his  aim. 

Theodore  Sooh,  so  famous  for  his  wit — caressed  by 
royalty — almost  worshiped  by  the  great — with  a  pen- 
sion of  £2,000  a  year,  reveling  in  all  the  luxury  of 
fashion — arrested  for  debt — stripped  of  all  his  honors — 
toiling  to  retrieve  misfortune — forced  at  last  to  give  up 
the  struggle,  with  an  exhausted  body,  and  more  ex- 
hausted mind,  sick  of  the  world  and  all  its  pleasures, — 
what  a  moral  does  this  history  suggest ! 

TAomas,  ^<30C?  the  comic  poet,  brimful  of  sparkling  wit 
and  comic  conceits, — when  he  could  no  longer  patch  up 
his  worn-out  frame !  alas !  it  was  a  mirage  and  nothing 
more  real  or  lasting  or  satisfying, — so  true  is  it  that  the 
world's  pretended  pleasure  is  at  the  best  a  gilded  cheat. 
"The  end  of  that  mirth  is  heaviness." 

The  mad  traveler. — "I  saw  a  ma,n  beginning  a 
long  journey.  It  was  a  most  perilous  journey,  through 
a  wild,  inhospitable  country.  It  did  not  seem  so  at  first : 
a  green  and  flowery  lane  led  from  his  dwelling.  Tho 
road  was  smooth,  the  day  bright,  friends  near,  the  pros- 
pect fair 


284  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

"He  set  gaily  off  in  an  easy  carriage  attended  by  as- 
siduous servants,  and  followed  by  wagons  loaded  with 
all  curious  provision  for  present  amusement  or  need. 
Song  and  fragrance  filled  the  morning  air,  and  though 
as  the  early  hours  flew  by,  these  fled  with  them,  still 
his  spirits  were  high,  and  the  wheels  rattled  merrily 
over  the  graded  way.  The  smiles  and  congratulations 
of  friends  saluted  hiih  as  he  passed,  and  some  envied 
him.  He  counted  himself  happy;  and,  rejoicing  in  his 
admirable  appointments,  gave  up  his  heart  to  plea- 
sure. 

"  The  evening  of  the  first  day  has  come,  and  lo !  the 
carriage  is  going  down  a  hill.     How  steep  it  is  getting ! 

"Faster  and  faster  it  goes.  The  air  darkens,  the 
gloom  thickens,  it  grows  cold ;  and  faster,  faster  rolls  the 
carriage  downward.  Nothing  can  check  it.  He  tries, 
the  servants  try.  He  shrieks  for  help,  but  in  vain. 
Downward  dash  the  horses ;  and  see !  at  the  bottom  of 
the  hill,  a  river,  dark,  and  without  a  bridge.  The  road 
leads  into  it.  In  rush  the  horses,  and  with  struggles 
and  groans  and  plunges  of  agony,  all  disappear. 

"But  our  traveler  did  not  die  in  the  stream.  At  the 
other  shore  he  came  forth  from  the  water,  cold,  desolate, 
alone.  His  servants  were  gone.  His  treasure  was  gone. 
His  amusements  were  gone.  And  on  that  bleak  shore, 
in  that  bitter  clime,  bound  still  for  that  awful  journey,  I 
saw  him  standing,  pale,  weak,  in  helpless  despair.  On, 
on  he  must  go.  He  was  hungry,  but  he  had  no  food; 
thirsty,  but  there  was  no  water;  foot-sore,  but  he  must 
walk.  See,  he  totters,  but  he  has  no  staff";  dangers 
assail  him,  but  he  has  no  defence;  remorse  gnaws  him, 
hut  he  has  no  resource.     An  irresistible  destiny  urges 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  285 

liim ;  and  while  the  hunger  ever  feites,  and  the  way  grows 
rougher  and  horrors  thicken  about  him,  on,  on  he  must 
go.  • 

"Yet  he  knew  all  this  from  the  first,  but  counted  it 
nothing.  All  his  preparations  were  for  the  pleasant 
road,  through  green  and  sunny  fields.  He  seemed  rich 
then,  men  called  him  so,  all  but  one  honest  soul,  who 
frankly  told  him  that  his  arrangements  were  short-sighted, 
wretched,  and  that  if  he  went  thus,  his  folly  was  as  egre- 
gious as  soon  his  poverty  would  be  dreadful.  But  he 
was  called  a  rude  man  for  his  pains,  and  bidden  begone. 
Why  should  he  be  ever  disturbing  the  present  joy  with 
his  doleful  prophecies?  The  very  sight  of  him  made 
one  melancholy,  and  his  voice  seemed  to  toll  out  his 
warning  like  a  dismal  bell  at  a  funeral.  '  Let  us  use  the 
joys  we  have  while  we  have  them,  and  let  the  future  take 
care  of  itself!'  So  he  spoke;  and  so  he  went,  and  now 
there  he  is. 

"Nay,  you  need  not  tell  me  that  my  picture  is  prepos- 
terous— that  there  is  no  such  fool  on  earth ;  I  know  how 
wise  the  children  of  this  world  are  in  their  generation, 
and  how  unnatural  all  this  would  be,  if  I  meant  the 
petty  concerns  of  this  life  alone.  But  suppose  I  strip 
off  the  veil  and  tell  you  that  eternity  is  that  awful 
journey,  and  life  that  pleasant  lane,  and  the  body  that 
easy  carriage,  in  which  the  soul  sets  out  so  gaily,  and 
death  that  bridgeless  river  where  friends  can  go  no 
further,  and  servants  must  forsake  us,  and  all  the  trea- 
sures of  earth  go  down  forever  ?  Where  now  is  the  un- 
naturalness?  Does  it  not  become  natural  enough,  tame 
even  from  its  very  commonness?  Thus  from  your  own 
mouth  I  condemn  you,  and  from  the  shock  you  feel, 


286  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

where  the  whole  scene  is  bounded  by  an  inch  of  time, 
convict  you  of  unutterable  madness  in  preparing  for  the 
little  course  of  this  life  only,  and*  going  all  unfurnished 
for  everlasting  ages." — Professor  Hoge. 

POOR  CHRISTIANS. 

"  Oftentimes  God  chooseth  the  poor  of  this  world. 
The  lion  and  eagle  are  passed  by,  and  the  lamb  and  the 

dove  chosen  for  sacrifice A  thief  was  made  the 

dehght  of  paradise,  and  Lazarus  taken  into  Abraham's 
bosom." — Manton.     . 

Many  whom  the  world  regards  as  dirt,  the  Lord 
esteems  as  jewels. 

"  A  LITTLE  BIRD  in  her  small  down  nest  sings  pleas- 
antly, when  the  great  birds  jn  their  large  thorny  nests 
have  but  harsh  voices." — Swinnoch. 

Is  IT  NOT  BETTER  to  beg  one's  bread  on  earth  like 
Lazarus,  than  to  beg  water  like  the  rich  man  in  hell, 
and  be  denied  ? 

Judge  a  Christian,  says  one,  not  by  his  coat,  but  by 
his  character.  * 

"It  is  no  small  commendation  to  manage  a  little  well. 
He  is  a  good  waojoner  that  can  turn  in  a  httle  room. 
To  live  well  in  abundance,  is  the  praise  of  the  estate,  not 
of  the  person.  I  will  study  more  how  to  give  a  good  ac- 
count of  my  little,  than  how  to  make  it  more." — Bishop 
Eall. 

Buckinghamshire. — Mr.  Marsden  in  his  History  of 
the  Puritans,  mentions  it  as  a  striking  fact,  that  Buck- 
inghamshire, which  did  not  possess  more  than  two  or 
throe  ministers,  and  those  of  the  third  class  of  opulence, 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  287 

gave  more  martyrs  to  tlie  cause  of  Wickliffe  than  all  the 
rest  of  England. 

"He  hath  exalted  them  of  low  degree/'  Luke 
i.  52— 

Moses  was  the  son  of  a  poor  Levite — Gideon  was  a 
thresher — David  was  a  shepherd  boy — Amos  was  a  herds- 
man— the  Apostles  were  "  ignorant  and  unlearned. ' '  The 
reformer  Zwingle  emerged  from  a  shepherd's  hut  amongst 
the  Alps.  Melancthon,  the  great  theologian,  was  a 
workman  in  an  armorer's  shop.  Martin  Luther  was  the 
child  of  a  poor  miner.  Carey,  who  originated  the  plan 
of  translating  the  Bible  into  the  language  of  the  millions 
of  Hindustan,  was  a  shoemaker  in  IN^orthampton.  Dr. 
Morrison,  who  translated  the  Bible  into  the  Chinese 
language,  was  a  last-maker  in  Newcastle.  Dr.  Milner 
was  a  herd-boy  in  Aberdeenshire.  Dr.  Adam  Clarke 
was  the  child  of  Irish  cotters.  John  Foster  was  a  weaver. 
Andrew  Fuller  was  a  farm  servant.  William  Jay  of 
Bath  was  a  herdsman. 

"I  HAVE  NO  LEGACY  to  leave  my  children,"  said  the 
eminent  Dean  Prideaux,  "  but  pious  poverty,  God's 
blessing,  and  a  father's  prayers." 

Richard  Baxter. — Addison  somewhere  relates  that 
he  once  in  a  bookseller's  store  took  up  the  self-written 
Life  of  Baxter,  and  was  not  a  little  amused  at  the  author's 
statement,  that  in  his  early  years  he  had  narrowly 
escaped  getting  a  place  at  Court. 

This  seemed  an  amusing  paradox  to  Mr.  Addison,  who 
spent  a  great  part  of  his  life  at  Court,  and  whose  ideas 
and  estimates  of  things  were  formed  among  those  to 
whom  "  a  place  at  Court,"  seemed  just  about  the  chief 
good  of  human  life. 


288  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

Dr.  Doddridge  in  like  mannei  acknowledged  the 
good  providence  of  God  in  depriving  him  of  what  might 
have  been  a  great  snare.  "  The  doctor's  father,  as  eldest 
surviving  branch  of  the  family,  was  heir-at-law  to  *  a 
fortune  of  two  thousand  pounds  per  annum,  which  was 
lost  out  of  the  family  in  the  time  of  the  civil  wars.'  He 
was  often  urged  by  his  friends  to  attempt  to  regain  it ; 
but  through  an  apprehension  of  the  great  hazard  and  ex- 
pense attending  the  attempt,  he  chose  to  decline  it.  The 
doctor  sometimes  acknowledged  the  good  providence  of 
God  in  so  ordering  events,  that  the  estate  never  came 
into  his  father's  possession,  as  it  would  have  descended 
to  him  at  a  time  of  life  when,  through  the  natural 
warmth  and  gaiety  of  his  temper,  it  might  have  been  his 
ruin." 

PRAISE. 

An  old  writer  well  calls  it  "  a  mannerly  way  of  beg- 
ging-" 

"  Great  blessings  that  are  won  by  prayer  should  be 

worn  with  thankfulness." — Croodwin. 

"A  Christian  who  does  not  observe  his  victories 
wants  many  excellent  songs." — Andrew  Gray. 

"  Give  me  the  eye  which  can  see  God  in  all ;  the  hand 
which  can  serve  him  with  all ;  and  the  heart  which  can 
bless  him  for  all." — Archbishop  Seeker. 

"  The  Lord  has  many  fine  farms,  from  which  he  re- 
ceives but  little  rent." 

*'  Thanksgiving  is  good,  thanksliving  is  better." — 
P.  Henry. 

"  Alas  !  for  that  capital  crime  of  the  Lord's  people — 
barrenness  in  praises.     Oh  how  fully  I  am  persuaded 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  289 

that  a  line  of  praises  is  worth  a  leaf  of  prayer,  and  an 
hour  of  praises  is  worth  a  day  of  fasting  and  mourning." 
— John  Livingstone. 

"It  is  not  the  mentioning  of  mercies  but  the  improv- 
ing of  them  to  piety,  which  express  our  thankfulness  to 
God.  God  sets  every  blessing  upon  our  score,  and  ex- 
pects an  answer  and  return  suitable.  He  compares 
Chorazin  and  Bethsaida  with  Tyre  and  Sidon,  and  if 
their  lives  be  as  bad  as  these,  their  punishment  shall  be 
much  heavier,  because  the  mercies  they  enjoyed  were 
much  greater.  The  not  rightly  using  mercies  is  being 
unthankful  for  them." — Bishop  Reynolds. 

— "  IN  this  desert  land,  where  discord  is  carried  on 
every  breeze,  yea,  even  within  the  walls  of  Zion ;  and 
where  sin  and  unbelief  so  often  oblige  the  poor  pil- 
grim to  hang  his  harp  on  the  willows ;  or,  while  he  holds 
it,  f3o  tie  his  fingers,  so  damp  the  strings,  that  it  pro- 
duces little  better  than  a  murmuring  sound,  ere  it  reaches 
the  Courts  above." — Helen  Plumptre. 

What  I  have  done  is  worthy  of  nothing  but  silence 
and  forgetfulness,  but  what  God  has  done  for  me  is 
worthy  of  everlasting  and  thankful  memory. 

"  In  former  TIMES,  it  was  the  law  in  certain  monas- 
teries that  the  chanting  of  the  praise  of  God  should 
know  >no  interruption,  and  that  one  choir  of  monks 
should,  at  stated  intervals,  relieve  another  in  the  holy 
employment.  .  .  .  Our  soul  ought  to  be  like  a  flower, 
not  merely  receiving  the  gentle  influence  of  heaven,  but 
in  its  turn,  and  as  if  in  gratitude,  exhaling  also  a  sweet 
and  pleasant  perfume.  It  should  be  our  desire,  as  it 
once  was  that  of  a  pious  man,  that  our  hearts  should 
melt  and  dissolve  like  incense  in  the  fire  of  love,  and 

25 


290  ILI<USTKATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

yield  the  sweet  fragrance  of  praise ;  or,  we  should  be 
like  the  holy  martyr,  who  professed  himself  wilhng  to  be 
consumed,  if  from  his  ashes  a  little  flower  might  spring 
and  blossom  to  the  glory  of  God.  We  should  be  ready 
to  give  our  very  blood  to  fertilize  the  garden  of  the 
Church,  and  render  it  more  productive  of  the  fruit  of 
praise." — Cfotthold's  Emblems. 

Alas  !  instead  of  being  temples  of  God's  praise,  how 
many  are  but  graves  of  God's  benefits  ! 

"  Thy  love  has  been  as  a  shower  !  the  returns  but  a 
dew-drop,  and  that  dew-drop  stained  with  sin." — J".  H. 
Evans. 

The  silent  grove. — "A  grove-full  of  the  most 
musical  birds  that  ever  warbled  note  or  song,  at  night 
are  silent.  It  is  dark,  and  the  time  of  sleep.  But,  no 
sooner  does  bright  dawn  appear,  and  the  sun  peep  over 
the  horizon,  than  one  little  songster  bursts  forth  in  solo ; 
another  follows,  and  then  another ;  and  soon  the  morn- 
ing anthem  of  praise  is  full  and  loud,  from  a  thousand 
liquid  voices.  So  long  as  men  are  asleep  in  sin,  they 
have  no  heart,  no  living  voice  for  God ;  but  when  the 
bright  sun  appears,  and  the  warmth  of  Christ's  love 
wakes  up  the  heart,  then  comes  the  song  of  praise  to  the 
Redeemer.  The  very  nature  of  the  newly  awakened 
heart,  is  to  burst  forth  in  praise  and  gratitude. 

"  Let  not  thy  praises  be  transient,  a  fit  of  music,  and 
then  the  instrument  hung  up,  till  another  remarkable 
providence  makes  thee  take  it  down.  God  will  not  sit 
at  such  a  niggard's  table,  as  invites  him  to  a  thanks- 
giving feast  once  for  all  the  year.  God  comes  not  as  a 
guest  to  his  saints'  house,  but  to  dwell  with  them ;  he 
'  inhabits'  the  praises  of  his  people.     That  day  i»  which 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATUERINGS.  291 

I 
thou  dost  not  bless  God,  thou  turnest  him  out  of  doors, 

'A  lying  tongue  is  but  for  a  moment,'  saith  Solomon. 
Something  drops  from  a  liar  within  awhile  that  dis- 
covers his  falsehood.  The  tongue  that  lies  in  praising 
God,  is  thus  for  a  moment ;  he  can  curse  God  with  that 
tongue  to-morrow  with  which  he  praiseth  him  to-day." — 
G-urnall. 

An  ANCHORITE. — A  gentleman  in  Bombay,  seeing  an 
anchorite  sitting  under  a  cocoa-nut  tree,  asked  for  an 
interest  in  his  prayers.  The  anchorite  replied,  he  would 
with  pleasure  grant  the  request,  but  he  scarce  knew  what 
best  to  ask  for  him.  "I  have  seen  you  often,"  said  he, 
"  and  you  appear  to  enjoy  good  health,  and  to  have, 
everything  that  can  conduce  to  human  happiness ;  per- 
haps, the  best  thing  I  can  ask  for  you  will  be  a  grateful 
heart.'' 

Jeremy  Taylor  thus  expressed  his  thankfulness  in 
the  midst  of  trial.  "  I  am  fallen  into  the  hands  of  pub- 
licans and  sequestrators,  and  they  have  taken  all  from 
me.  What  now  ?  Let  me  look  about  me !  They  have 
left  me  sun  and  tnoon,  fire  and  water,  a  loving  wife,  and 
many  friends  to  pity  me,  and  some  to  relieve  me ;  and  I 
can  still  discourse ;  and  unless  I  list,  they  have  not  taken 
away  my  merry  countenance,  and  my  cheerful  spirits, 
and  a  good  conscience ;  they  have  still  left  me  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  and  all  the  promises  of  the  Gospel,  and 
my  religion,  and  my  hopes  of  heaven,  and  my  charity  to 
them  too.  And  still  I  sleep  and  digest,  and  eat  and 
drink ;  I  read  and  meditate ;  I  can  walk  in  my  neigh- 
bor's pleasant  fields,  and  see  the  varieties  of  natural 
beauties,  and  delight  in  all  that  in  which  God  delights — 


292  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

that  is,  in  virtue,  and  wisdom,  in  ihe  whole  creation,  and 
in  God  himself.     The  best  is  left." 

The  Rev.  H.  Venn  used  to  read  the  service  of  the 
Church  with  peculiar  solemnity.  The  Te  Deum  (it  is 
recorded  in  his  Life)  he  especially  read  with  a  triumphant 
air  and  tone,  which  often  produced  a  perceptible  sensa- 
tion in  the  congregation. 

The  Rev.  J.  Hervey. — Mr.  Romaine  being  once  in 
company  with*  Mr.  Hervey,  who  was  unwell,  at  breakfast 
time  observed  him  retire  to  another  part  of  the  room, 
taking  with  him  a  small  basin  of  milk.  Mr.  R.  overheard 
him  praying  thus,  "Lord,  if  I  receive  no  nourishment 
from  this  food,  which  thou  hast  given  me,  at  least  let  me 
get  thankfulness  from  it." 

The  Rev.  J.  H.  Stewart. — It  was  for  many  years 
his  custom  every  Saturday  evening  to  count  up  the 
mercies  of  the  week  with  his  wife. — An  example  well 
worthy  of  imitation. 

The  Rev.  E.  Bickersteth  in  his  last  illness  observed, 
"  I  have  so  many  mercies,  I  ought  to  be  full  of  praise. 
That  is  a  sweet  direction,  'In  everything  give  thanks' 
(1  Thess.  V.  18) ;  there  is  more  divinity  in  that  verse 
than  in  all  the  Fathers.  It  is  a  bit  of  gold  which 
enriches.  They  talk  of  the  gold  of  California,  but  the 
gold  of  that  land  is  good." 

"Not  unto  us,  0  Lord."  (Ps.  cxv.  1.) — Professor 
Scholefield  used  to  relate  an  anecdote,  illustrative  of  the 
best  spirit  of  praise.  Three  clergymen  were  represented 
as  speaking  thus  the  language  of  their  heart.  One  said, 
"  Give  me  praise  for  my  preaching,  because  I  like  it." 
A  second  said,  "  Give  me  praise,  that  I  may  give  it  to 


ILLUSTRATIVE   aATHERINGS.  293 

my  Master."     A  third  said,  "  Give  my  Master  all  the 
praise,  and  let  me  not  have  any." 

PRAYER 

— ''  IS  a  creature's  strength, — his  very  breath  and  being." 
— Twpfer. 

Hypocrites  never  really  love  prayer,  and,  therefore, 
often  for  a  long  time  together  never  practice  secret 
prayer. 

"  The  gift  of  prayer  may  have  praise  with  men,  but 
it  is  the  grace  of  prayer  that  has  power  with  God." — 
Dyer, 

"  Dealing  in  generalities  is  the  death  of  prayer." — 
J.  H.  Evans. 

"  Whatever  indisposes  for  prayer  must  be  wrong,  be 
it  what  it  may." — Ihid. 

"  Not  only  to  tell  him  of  our  wants — that  is  but  half 
prayer ;  but  to  speak  to  him  of  his  promises^  and  to  rest 
ourselves  in  his  word." — Ihid. 

If  we  have  not  the  spirit  of  supplication,  let  us  begin 
with  the  spirit  of  confession  and  the  spirit  of  praise. 

We  may  often  have  the  spirit  of  prayer  without  the 
comfort  Qf  prayer. 

Few  are  strangers  to  mahing  prayers,  but  many  are 
strangers  to  praying  prayer. 

"  Some  never  begin  to  pray  till  God  has  ceased  to 
hear. ' ' — Nevins. 

"  We  never  need  prayer  so  much  as  when  we  are 
indisposed  for  it." — Mrs.  Cameron. 

There  are  four  things,  I  find,  which  indispose  us  for 
prayer :  Inordinate  sadness — very  high  spirits — ill  tem- 
per— and  a  carnal,  worldly  spirit." — Mrs.  Cameron, 
25  * 


294  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

"  Many  times  we  go  to  God  as  languidly  as  if  we 
were  afraid  he  would  accept  us ;  and  pray  as  coldl;]^ 
as  if  we  were  unwilling  he  should  hear  us.*" — Char- 
nock. 

Carnal  men  regard  prayer  as  a  prescription, — true 
Christians  delight  in  it  as  a  pleasure. 

"We  may  judge  of  the  state  of  our  hearts  by  the 
earnestness  of  our  prayers.  You  cannot  make  a  rich 
man  beg  like  a  poor  man :  you  cannot  make  a  man  that 
is  full  cry  for  food  like  one  that  is  hungry ;  no  more 
will  a  man  who  has  a  good  opinion  of  himself,  cry  for 
mercy  like  one  who  feels  that  he  is  poor  and  needy." — 
Dr.  Pay  son. 

What  is  prayer  ? — "  Want  felt — help  desired — with 
faith  to  obtain  it — is  prayer." — Adam. 

"  Prayer  is  a  shield  to  the  soul,  a  sacrifice  to  God, 
and  a  scourge  for  Satan." — Bunyan. 

It  is  not  so  much  the  length  as  the  strength  of  prayer 
that  is  required ;  not  so  much  the  labor  of  the  lip  as  the 
travail  of  the  heart. 

"  Prayer  is  our  speech  to  God ;  when  we  read  God 
speaks  to  us,  when  we  pray  we  speak  to  God." — Augus- 
tine. 

Prayer  without  heart  is  like  a  lamp  unlighted. 

"  Prayer  is  not  a  smooth  expression,  or  a  well-con- 
trived form  of  words;  not  the  product  of  a  ready 
memory,  or  of  a  rich  invention  exerting  itself  in  the 
performance.  These  may  draw  a  neat  picture  of  it,  but 
still  the  life  is  wanting.  The  motion  of  the  heart  God- 
wards,  holy  and  divine  affection,  makes  prayer  real  and 
lively  and  acceptable  to  the  living  God,  to  whom  it  is 
presented;   the  pouring  out  of  thy  heart  to  him  who 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  295 

made  it,  and  therefore  hears  it,  and  understands  what  it 
speaks,  and  how  it  is  moved  and  affected  in  calling  on 
him.  It  is  not  the  gilded  paper  and  good  writing  of  a 
petition  that  prevails  with  a  king,  but  the  moving  sense 
of  it.  And  to  that  King  who  discerns  the  heart,  heart- 
sense  is  the  sense  of  all,  and  that  which  he  only  regar  Is ; 
he  listens  to  hear  what  that  speaks,  and  takes  all  as 
nothing  where  that  is  silent.  All  other  excellence  in 
prayer  is  but  the  outside  and  fashion  of  it ;  this  is  the 
life  of  it." — Leighton. 

"Effectual  fervent  prayer." — "An  arrow  if  it 
be  drawn  up  but  a  little  way  goes  not  far,  but  if  it  be 
pulled  up  to  the  head  flies  swiftly  and  pierces  deep. 
Thus  prayer  if  it  be  only  dribbled  forth  from  careless 
lips,  falls  at  our  feet.  It  is  the  strength  of  ejaculation 
and  strong  desire,  which  sends  it  to  heaven  and  makes  it 
pierce  the  clouds.  It  is  not  the  arithmetic  of  our 
prayers,  how  many  they  are;  nor  the  rhetoric  of  our 
prayers,  how  eloquent  they  be ;  nor  the  geometry  of  our 
prayers,  how  long  they  be ;  nor  the  music  of  our  prayers, 
how  sweet  our  voice  may  be ;  nor  the  logic  of  our  prayers, 
how  argumentative  they  may  be ;  nor  the  method  of  our 
prayers,  how  orderly  they  may  be ;  nor  even  the  divinity 
of  our  prayers,  how  good  the  doctrine  may  be, — which 
God  cares  for.  He  looks  not  for  the  horny  knees  which 
James  is  said  to  have  had  through  the  assiduity  of  prayer ; 
we  might  be  like  Bartholomew,  who  is  said  to  have  had 
a  hundred  prayers  for  the  morning,  and  as  many  for  the 
evening,  and  all  might  be  of  no  avail.  Fervency  of 
spirit  is  that  which  availeth  much.  '  The  effectual  fer- 
vent prayer  of  a  righteous  man  availeth  much." — Bishop 
Ball. 


296  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

Pr AYERLESS  PRAYERS  —  without  thought  —  kneeling 
down  for  form,  and  the  mind  vacant,  or  thinking  of 
other  things.  Oh !  how  many  are  guilty  of  uttering 
solemn  falsehoods,  in  pious  language,  to  the  truth-loving 
God,  starving  their  own  souls, — insulting  the  great  God 
above. 

PowERruL  PRAYERS. — "  Has  not  the  Church  almost 
to  learn  yet  what  is  the  power  of  prayer  ?  What  con- 
ception have  we  of  believing  prayer,  before  which  moun- 
tains depart  ?  What  of  persevering  prayer,  which  causes 
us  to  stand  continually  upon  the  watch-tower  in  the  day- 
time, and  which  sets  us  in  our  ward  whole  nights  ? 
What  of  importunate  prayer,  which  storms  heaven  with 
its  violence  and  force  ?  What  of  united  prayer,  '  gather- 
ing us  together  to  ask  help  of  the  Lord  ?'  What  of 
consistent  prayer,  which  regards  no  iniquity  in  our 
hearts?  What  of  practical  -prEijer,  which  fulfils  itself? 
Let  but  such  prayer  be  understood,  let  our  spirit  but 
'break  with  such  longing,'  and  the  expectations  of  our 
bosoms  shall  not  be  delayed.  'And  it  shall  come  to 
pass,  that  before  they  call,  I  will  answer;  and  while 
they  are  yet  speaking,  I  will  hear.'  " — Dr.  Hamilton. 

Over  the  river. — God  sometimes  tries  the  faith, 
and  calls  forth  the  prayer,  of  his  people,  by  placing  a 
blessing  at  a  distance  from  them.  They  perceive  it  is 
near  but  cannot  reach  it, — as  it  were,  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river.  By  prayer  we  must  cross  the  stream  and 
fetch  it. 

"  God  denies  the  Christian  nothing,  but  with  the  de- 
sign to  give  him  some  greater  good." — Cecil. 

The  lemon  peel. — '  A  simple  but  pious  man  com- 
plained  to   Gotthold  that  in  conversing  with   God  he 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  297 

often  felt  at  a  loss  for  words.  Although,  said  he,  on 
other  occasions,  I  have  no  difficulty  in  making  myself 
understood,  still  I  can  never  find  language  to  address 
God,  such  as  his  majesty,  the  confidence  I  place  in 
him,  and  the  greatness  of  my  necessities,  seem  to  me  to 
retj^uire. 

"  Gotthold  at  the  time  had  in  his  hand  a  lemon  from 
which  he  had  just  pared  a  thin  and  transparent  peel. 
Presenting  it  to  him,  he  said :  Only  in  the  surface  skin, 
and  not  in  the  white  below,  is  the  strong  fragrance  of 
this  fruit  contained.  And  be  assured,  the  same  is  the 
case  with  your  prayer.  However  thin  and  meagre  may 
be  the  language  in  which  it  is  expressed,  the  fragrance 
of  its  fervent  piety  is  strong  enough  to  pierce  the  clouds. 
Words  without  faith  and  devotion  are  useless,  like  the 
white  under  the  skin  of  this  fruit,  but  faith  and  devotion 
without  words  are  not  despised  by  Him  who  knows  the 
heart.  Ejaculatory  prayers  are  the  most  powerful  means 
of  dispelling  the  troubles  of  the  mind.  A  single  sigh 
breathed  from  the  bottom  of  a  burthened  heart  is  a 
loud  cry  in  the  ear  of  God.  Do  in  future  as  King 
David  did,  who,  you  will  doubtless  confess,  knew  the 
art  of  prayer.  When  he  conversed  with  God,  and  ex- 
claimed, '  And  what  can  David  say  more  unto  thee  ? 
for  thou.  Lord  God,  knowest  thy  servant'  (2  Sam.  vii. 
20).  If  you  cannot  find  expressions,  cast  your  heart, 
with  all  its  concerns,  into  the  bosom  of  your  God,  and 
he  will  read  in  it  what  you  wish  to  say." — Crotthold's 
Emblems. 

"  And  now  what  more  needs  be  said  of  prayer,  than 
that  it  brings  God  into  the  heart  and  keeps  sin  out?" — > 
Adam* 


298  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

John  Foster,  as  he  approaclied  the  close  of  life  and 
felt  his  strength  gradually  stealing  away,  remarked  on 
his  increasing  weakness,  and  added,  "  But  I  can  pray, 
and  that  is  a  glorious  thing."  Truly  a  glorious  thing; 
more  glorious  than  atheist  or  pantheist  can  ever  pretend 
to.  To  look  up  to  an  omnipotent  Father,  to  speak  to 
him,  to  love  him,  to  stretch  upward  as  a  babe  from  the 
cradle,  that  he  may  lift  his  child  in  his  everlasting  arms, 
to  the  resting-place  of  his  own  bosom.  He  was  over- 
heard thus  speaking  with  himself, — "  0  death,  where  is 
thy  sting  ?  0  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  ?  Thanks  be 
to  God,  who  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ." 

PRESUMPTION. 

—  Climbing  a  Swiss  mountain  without  a  guide,  or 
going  down  a  mine  without  a  safety-lamp. 

"  Presumption  is  a  fire-work,  made  up  of  pride  and 
foolhardiness.  It  is  indeed  like  a  heavy  house  built 
upon  slender  crutches ;  like  dust,  which  men  throw 
against  the  wind,  it  flies  back  in  their  face,  and  makes 
them  blind.  Wise  men  presume  nothing,  but  hope 
the  best ;  presumption  is  hope  out  of  her  wits." — T, 
Adams. 

"Nothing  but  deep  humiliation,  being  often  at  the 
cross  of  Christ,  can  keep  the  heart  from  pride  and  pre- 
sumption." 

"  The  over-secure  and  self-confident  person  placeth 
his  fond  presumption  on  the  rock  of  God's  promise, 
and  thereby  draws  as  certain  a  ruin  upon  himself, 
as  he  who  ventures  to  go  over  a  deep  river,  without  any 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  299 

other  bridge  than  what  his  own  shadow  makes  ' — Spur- 
stowe. 

If  Satan  ever  smiles,  it  is  surely  when  he  sees  the 
transgressor  lay  the  flattering  unction  to  his  soul,  that 
he  may  take  the  devil's  opiates,  and  take  his  own  time 
for  waking. 

"Fools  rush  in — where  angels  fear  to  tread." — 
Young. 

"Faith  is  distinguished  from  presumption,  which  is  a 
confidence  without  sufficient  warrant.  When  the  Israel- 
ites traveled  through  the  channel  of  the  Red  Sea,  they 
believed  the  Divine  promise  that  they  should  obtain  a 
safe  passage.  But  the  Egyptians  had  no  such  promise 
given  them ;  they  had  no  declaration  to  credit ;  therefore 
it  was  not  faith  but  presumption  that  influenced  them  in 
adventuring  to  follow  the  Israelites  through  the  same 
route." — Alexander  Stewart. 

Those  whom  the  devil  tempts  to  presume,  he  after- 
wards tempts  to  despair. 

Pilgrim's  Progress. — See  the  description  and  his- 
tory of  the  three  men  Christian  found  asleep  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  hill,  when  he  passed  on  from  the  cross, — 
Simple,  Sloth,  and  Presumption.  "You  iPe  like  those 
that  sleep,"  said  good  Christian,  "on  the  top  of  a  mast, 
for  the  dead  sea  is  under  you,  a  gulf  that  hath  no  bot- 
tom ;  awake,  therefore,  and  come  away ;  be  willing  also, 
and  I  will  help  you  off  with  your  irons."  But  they  re- 
fused. Presumption  said,  "Every  vat  must  stand  upon 
its  own  bottom."  The  end  of  these  men  is  afterwards 
told  us.  When  Christiana  passed  by,  she  saw  them  all 
hanged  up  in  irons,  a  little  way  off  on  the  other  side. 

The  Kev.  Rowland  Hill. — When  a  professor   of 


300  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

Antinomian  views  said  to  him  one  day  that  he  had  not 
felt  a  doubt  of  his  safety  for  many  years,  Mr.  Hill  re- 
plied, "  Then,  sir,  give  me  leave  to  doubt  for  you." 

PRIDE 

"  IS  a  sin  that  will  put  the  soul  upon  the  worst  of  sins. 
Pride  is  a  gilded  misery,  a  secret  poison,  a  hidden  plague. 
It  is  the  engineer  of  deceit,  the  mother  of  hypocrisy, 
the  parent  of  misery,  the  moth  of  holiness,  the  blind- 
ness of  hearts,  the  turner  of  medicines  into  maladies, 
and  remedies  into  diseases." — Brooks, 

"  Humility  is  the  ornament  of  angels,  and  pride  the 
deformity  of  devils."  "Pride  is  the  moth  of  mercy; 
nay,  the  wind  that  dries  up  both  the  streams  of  God's 
mercy  and  thy  gratitude."  "  God  crowns  with  mercy, 
but  a  swollen  head  is  not  fit  to  have  that  crown  put  upon " 
it." — Jenkyn, 

Pride  is  the  ape  of  charity.  Charity  feeds  the  poor ; 
so  does  pride.  Charity  builds  a  hospital;  so  does  pride; 
only  in  this  they  difi*er, — Charity  gives  the  glory  to  God ; 
pride  takes  her  glory  from  man. 

Pride  never  stoops,  but  to  take  a  higher  flight. 

"It  is  not  the  height  to  which  men  are  advanced  that 
makes  them  giddy,  it  is  the  looking  down  with  contempt 
upon  those  beneath." — Lord  Byron, 

To  be  proud  of  knowledge  is  to  be  blind  with  the 
light ;  to  be  proud  of  virtue  is  to  be  poisoned  with  the 
antidote;  to  be  proud  of  authority  is  to  make  one's  rise 
his  downfall. 

"Be  deaf,  0  man,  to  the  insinuations  of  pride.  It  is 
a  poisonous  weed  that  suffers  not  any  flower  of  beauty 
or  fragrance  to  bloom  near  it." — Pindar. 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  301 

"Pride  is  no  better  argument  of  an  elect  soul,  than 
a  tumid  swelling  is  of  a  sound  body.  As  pride  is  the 
first  step  downward  to  hell,  so  humility  is  the  first  stair 
upwards  to  glory.  No  sin  begins  sooner  on  us,  no  sin 
later  leaves  us,  tfian  pride.  It  is  like  the  heart,  the  first 
thing  that  lives,  and  the  last  thing  that  dies  in  us.  But 
it  is  better  to  be  humbled  under  a  foul  sin  than  to  be 
proud  of  any  sin.  And  St.  Augustine  is  peremptory : 
venturing  to  say,  that  it  hath  been  profitable  for  proud 
men  to  fall  into  some  gross  ofience,  for  they  have  not  lost 
so  much  by  their  fall  as  they  have  got  by  being  down." 
— Thomas  Adams. 

Pride  makes  use  both  of  good  and  evil  to  draw  her 
chariot.  ''It  can  take  sanctuary  in  the  holiest  actions, 
and  hide  itself  under  the  i  skirt  of  virtue  itself.  It  is 
hard  starving  this  sin ;  there  is  nothing  almost  but  it  can 
live  on;  nothing  so  base  that  a  proud  heart  will  not  be 
lift  up  with,  and  nothing  so  sacred  but  it  will  profane, 
even  dare  to  drink  in  the  bowls  of  the  sanctuary;  nay, 
rather  than  starve,  it  will  feed  on  the  carcasses  of  other 
sins." — G-urnall. 

"  Great  gifts  are  beautiful  as  Rachel,  but  pride  makes 
them  also  barren  like  her.  Either  we  must  lay  self  aside, 
or  God  will  lay  us  aside." — lUd. 

"Pride  would  be  somebody,  and  therefore  comes 
abroad  to  count  the  multitude ;  whereas  humility  delights 
in  privacy.  As  the  leaves  do  cover  and  shade  the  fruits, 
that  some  hand  must  gently  lift  them  up  before  they  can 
see  the  fruits,  so  should  humility  and  a  holy  modesty 
conceal  the  perfections  of  the  soul,  till  a  hand  of  provi- 
ience,  by  some  call,  invites  them  out." — Ihid. 

No    TRAVELERS   lose   their   way   sooner    than    those 


302  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

who  think  they  know  it  so  well  that  they  need  not  ask 
itr— Bid. 

"  There  are  four  kinds  of  pride  of  which  we  should 
beware:  Race  pride,  pride  in  our  ancestors — Face  pride, 
pride  in  our  beauty — Place  pride,  pride  in  our  position 
— Grace  pride,  in  our  religion." — Mev.  J.  Bolton. 

St.  Bernard's  thought  is  a  very  good  one, — "Hu- 
mility must  needs  be  a  glorious  thing,  since  pride  itself 
puts  it  on,  not  to  be  despised;  and  pride  must  be  of  it- 
self something  very  deformed,  since  it  dares  not  show  it- 
self naked,  and  is  forced  to  appear  in  a  mask." 

"I  THINK  one  of  God's  special  ways  of  humbling 
spiritual  pride  and  delight  in  self  is,  by  permitting 
very  small  obstacles  to  make  us  stumble ;  when  we 
are  caught  in  the  very  cobwebs  of  the  enemy,  we  see  we 
are  poor  feeble  insects,  and  yet  wonderfully  elastic  pride 
rises  before  the  pressure  is  removed." — Doing  and  Suf- 
fering. 

"  Satan  is  subtle ;  he  will  make  a  man  proud  of  his 
very  graces,  he  will  make  a  man  proud  that  he  is  not 
proud. ' ' — Brooks. 

The  Rev.  T.  C.  Ragland  wrote  once  from  India,  "I 
think  mosquitoes  and  other  obnoxious  insects  seem  to 
have  been  made,  to  remove  man  from  his  pride. 

PRIVILEGES— CHRISTIAN. 

The  larger  the  farm  the  greater  the  rent. 

"The  Christian's  privileges  lie  in  pronouns,  but  his 
duty  in  adverbs ;  it  must  not  be  only  honum  (good),  but 
it  must  be  bene  (well);  that  good  must  be  rightly  done." 
—Mead. 

"  The  profession  of  religion  will  no  more  keep  a  man 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  803 

from  perishing,  tlian  calling  a  ship  the  Safeguard  or 
the  G-oodspeed  will  keep  it  from  drowning.  As  many 
go  to  heaven  with  the  fear  of  hell  in  their  hearts,  so 
many  go  to  hell  with  the  name  of  Christ  in  their 
mouths. ' ' — Ibid. 

"A  good  man  observed  tq  me  to-day,  that  some 
ministers  speak  so  sparingly  and  coldly  of  the  gospel 
privileges  of  the  saints,  that  one  would  imagine  they 
thought  themselves  no  more  than  scarecrows,  set  up 
on  purpose  to  frighten  God's  people  from  the  corn." — 
Anon. 

Hewitson. — It  was  remarked  of  him  by  Mr.  Sande- 
man, — "As  a  spiritual  man,  his  company  was  very  re- 
freshing. He  realizes  much  the  privileges  of  the  believer. 
Love  is  his  favorite  theme.  'Rejoice  evermore'  is  one  of 
his  mottoes.  He  realizpe  much  the  Kingship  of  Christ. 
He  is  full  of  love  to  Christ,  love  to  souls,  and  zeal,  car- 
rying him  out  in  abundant  labors." 

PROCRASTINATION. 

"Faith  in  to-morrow  instead  of  Christ,  is  Satan's 
nurse  for  man's  perdition." — Dr.  Cheever. 

"  The  Lord  says  to  you  now,  '  The  soul  that  sinneth 
it  shall  die.'     Your  motto  is  to-morrow." — J.  S.  Evans, 

It  is  too  late  to  spare  when  all  is  spent. 

"The  road  of  By-and-Bye  leads  to  the  town  of 
Never." — Spanish  Proverb. 

He  that  waits  for  repentance,  waits  for  what  cannot 
be  had  so  long  as  it  is  waited  for.  It  is  absurd  for 
a  man  to  wait  for  what  he  should  himself  be  trying 
to  do. 

"Procrastination  has  been  called   Hhe   thief  of 


304  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

time.'  I  wisli  it  were  no  worse  than  a  thief.  But  it  is 
a  murderer,  and  that  which  it  kills  is  not  time  only,  but 
the  immortal  soul." — Dr.  Nevins. 

"  With  the  same  height  of  desire  thou  hast  sinned, 
with  the  same  depth  of  sorrow  thou  must  repent.  Thou 
that  hast  sinned  to-day,  defer  not  thy  repentance  till  to- 
morrow. He  that  hath  promised  pardon  to  thy  repent- 
ance, hath  not  promised  life  till  thou  repent." — Quarles. 

"  When  you  lift  up  your  eyes  in  hell,  or  when  Jesus 
comes,  you  will  cry,  'Lord,  Lord;'  but  all  repentance 
will  then  come  too  late.  When  the  boat  has  left  the 
shore,  it  is  vain  to  run." — 3I'Qheyne. 

"  A  WISE  MAN  labors  duly  to  time  his  care.  It  is  the 
fool  that  comes  when  the  market  is  over.  It  is  an  ill 
time  to  caulk  the  ship  when  at  sea,  tumbling  up  and 
down  in  a  storm ;  this  should  have  been  looked  to  in  the 
harbor.  And  as  bad  is  it  to  begin  to  trim  a  soul  for 
heaven  when  tossing  on  a  sick-bed.  Things  that  are 
done  in  a  hurry  are  seldom  done  well.  A  man  called  out 
of  his  bed  at  midnight,  with  a  dismal  fire  in  his  house, 
cannot  stand  to  dress  himself  as  at  another  time.  These 
poor  creatures,  I  am  afraid,  go  in  as  ill  a  dress  into 
another  world,  who  begin  to  provide  for  it  on  a  dying- 
bed.  Conscience  calls  them  up  with  a  cry  of  hell-fire  in 
their  bosom." — Gurnall. 

"  Lord,  I  do  discover  a  fallacy  whereby  I  have  long 
deceived  myself,  which  is  this ;  I  have  desired  to  begin 
my  amendment  from  my  birth-day,  or  from  some  eminent 
festival,  that  so  my  repentance  might  bear  some  remark- 
able date.  But  when  those  days  were  come,  I  have  ad- 
journed my  amendment  to  some  other  time.  Thus 
whilst  I  could  not  agree  with  myself  when  to  start,  I 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  305 

have  almost  lost  the  running  of  the  race.  I  am  resolved 
thus  to  befool  myself  no  longer.  I  see  no  day  but 
to-day  ;  the  instant  time  is  always  the  fittest  time.  In  Ne- 
buchadnezzar's image,  the  lower  the  members,  the  coarser 
the  metal ;  the  farther  off  the  time,  the  more  unfit. 
To-day  is  the  golden  opportunity ;  to-morrow  w^ill  be  the 
silver  season,  next  day  but  the  brazen  one,  and  so  on, 
till  at  last  I  shall  come  but  to  the  toes  of  clay  and  be 
turned  to  dust.  Grant  therefore  that  to-day  I  may  hear 
thy  voice.  And  if  this  day  be  obscure  in  the  calendar, 
and  remarkable  in  itself  for  nothing  else,  give  me  to 
make  it  memorable  in  my  soul,  hereupon,  by  Thy  assist- 
ance, beginning  the  reformation  of  my  life." — T.  Fuller. 

"  Merchants  take  care  to  insure  their  precious  goods, 
before  the  ship  clears  the  dock  and  leaves  the  river ;  else, 
what  would  they  do  ?  What  ease  of  mind  and  prospect 
of  gain  could  they  expect  ?  Would  it  be  time,  when  the 
news  of  a  terrible  sea-storm  came,  to  run  to  the  ofiice, 
and  then  expect  to  make  all  safe  and  right  ?  No,  the 
merchant  goes  calmly  there  when  the  sun  is  shining  and 
the  sea  is  smooth.  '  Go  and  do  thou  likewise.'  0 
living  but  dying  man,  before  the  ship  comes  to  the  river 
— at  once,  to-day,  prepare  for  the  coming  storm." 

Delay  is  always  hardening. — A  sponge  is  in  one 
period  of  its  history  a  soft  thing,  but  sponges  become 
flints  by  a  peculiar  process.  There  are  in  sponges  par- 
ticles of  flint  or  silex  :  these  are  ever  attracting  particles 
to  themselves,  until  in  process  of  time  the  whole  mass  is 
an  aggregate  of  silicious  matter,  and  the  once  soft  sponge 
has  become  perfectly  hard.  So  it  is  with  the  hardening 
of  the  tender  conscience ;  every  sin,  every  delay  to  re- 
pent takes  away  the  softness,  and  brings  a  fresh  secre- 
26  * 


306  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

tion  to  the  gathering  hardness,  which  unresisted  sin  can- 
not fail  to  make. 

In    one    month's    time,    I    shall    BE: ?   WHAT  ? 

WHERE  ? 

Reader,  suppose  it  were  possible  for  you  to  know 
that  in  one  month's  time  from  your  reading  this,  your 
day  of  grace  would  close,  how  would  you  feel?  how 
concerned — how  anxious — perhaps  how  afraid  !  And 
yet,  it  may  close!  Oh,  "set  thine  house  in  order," 
judgment  may  be  nearer  than  you  think,  death's  solemn 
tread  is  soft,  but  death  cannot  be  turned  away. 

"  Disbelieve  you  cannot,  brave  it  out  you  dare  not, 
then  must  you  hope  at  some  more  convenient  season  to 
reform.  So  hoped  the  five  virgins  who  slumbered  and 
slept  without  oil  in  their  lamps ;  and  you  know  how  they 
fared.  Neither  have  you  forgotten  how  the  merchant, 
and  the  farmer,  and  the  sons  of  pleasure  who  refused 
the  invitation  to  the  marriage  feast  of  the  king's  son, 
were  consumed  with  fire  from  heaven.  What  is  your 
life,  that  you  should  trust  in  it ;  is  it  not  even  a  vapor 
that  speedily  passeth  away  ?  What  security  have  you 
that  Heaven  will  warn  you  beforehand,  or  that  Heaven 
will  help  you  to  repentance  whenever  you  please  ?  Will 
the  resolution  of  your  mind  gather  strength  as  your 
other  faculties  of  body  and  mind  decay  ?  Will  sin  grow 
weaker  by  being  awhile  longer  indulged,  or  God  grow 
more  friendly  by  being  awhile  longer  spurned,  or  the 
gospel  more  persuasive  by  being  awhile  longer  set  at 
nought  ?  I  beseech  you  beware  of  the  thief  of  time, 
Procrastination.  This  day  is  as  convenient  as  to-morrow ; 
this  day  is  yours,  to-morrow  is  not ;  this  day  is  a  day  of 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  307 

mercy,  to-morrow  may  be  a  day  of  doom." — Edward 
Irving. 

Decide  at  once. — "I  have -found  it  of  great  use  to 
endeavor  to  bring  men  to  an  immediate  decision  on  the 
subject  of  their  future  destiny.  It  is  of  the  utmost 
importance  for  them  to  be  impressed  with  the  mometous- 
ness  of  the  grant  now  of  their  life.  'Now  is  the  ac- 
cepted time ;  now  is  the  day  of  salvation.  To-day  if  ye 
will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts.'  God,  who 
has  promised  eternal  life  to  repentance,  has  not  promised 
another  day  to  repent  in.  Upon  the  present  hour  may 
depend  eternity.  At  the  critical  moment  of  that  night, 
in  the  year  1741,  when  Count  Lessoch  went  to  conduct 
the  Princess  Elizabeth  of  Russia  to  the  palace,  to  assert 
her  right  to  the  vacant  throne,  he  found  her  irresolute 
and  refusing  to  go ;  upon  which  he  drew  forth  two 
pictures,  which  he  had  caused  to  be  prepared,  and  placed 
them  before  her.  In  the  one,  she  saw  herself  under  the 
torture,  and  the  Count  on  a  scaJfFold ;  in  the  other  she 
beheld  herself  ascending  the  throne  amidst  the  applauses 
of  the  people.  He  bade  her  choose  her  situation.  She 
chose  the  throne,  and  on  the  morrow  was  Empress  of  all 
the  Russias.  Should  we  not  deal  in  a  similar  manner 
with  the  undecided  and  irresolute  under  our  ministry  ? 
Should  we  not  set  before  them  the  future  everlasting  dis- 
grace, if  they  continue  in  that  state ;  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  honors  and  joys  awaiting  them  if  faithful  and 
believing ;  and  call  upon  them  at  once  to  make  their 
election  ?  '  Choose  ye  this  day  whom  ye  will  serve. 
How  long  halt  ye  between  two  opinions  ?  If  the  Lord 
be  God,  serve  him  ;  if  Baal  be  God,  serve  him !'  '  I 
would,'   says    Christ   to  the  Laodicean    Church,    Hhat 


308  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

thou  wert  cold  or  hot ;  if  thou  wilt  not  be  hot,  I  would 
that  thou  wert  even  cold.  So  then  because  thou  art 
neither  hot  nor  cold,  but  lukewari^,  I  will  cast  thee  out  of 
my  mouth.'  " — Dr.  Leif child, 

"Mother  is  dead." — "You  will  please  not  to  for- 
get to  ask  the  place  for  me,  sir,"  said  a  pale,  blue-eyed 
boy,  as  he  brushed  the  coat  of  the  man  of  leisure  at  his 
lodgings. 

"  Certainly  not,"  said  Mr.  J.,  "I  shall  be  going  that 
way  in  a  day  or  two." 

"Did  you  ask  for  the  place  forme  yesterday?"  said 
the  pale  boy  on  the  following  day,  with  a  quivering  lip, 
as  he  performed  the  same  office. 

"No,"  was  the  answer.  "I  was  busy;  but  I  will 
to-day." 

"  Heaven  help  my  poor  mother  !"  murmured  the  boy, 
and  gazed  listlessly  on  the  penny  Mr.  J.  laid  in  his  hand. 

The  boy  went  home.  He  ran  to  the  hungry  chil- 
dren with  the  loaf  of  bread  he  had  earned  by  brushing 
the  gentlemen's  coats  at  the  Inn.  They  shouted  with 
joy,  and  his  mother  held  out  her  emaciated  jband  for  a 
portion,  while  a  sickly  smile  flitted  across  her  face. 

"Mother,  dear,"  said  the  boy,  "Mr.  J.  thinks  he 
can  get  me  the  place,  and  I  shall  have  three  meals  a 
day, — only  think,  mother,  three  meals !  and  it  won't 
take  me  three  minutes  to  run  home  and  share  them  with 

you." 

The  morning  came,  and  the  pale  boy's  voice  trembled 
with  earnestness  as  he  asked  Mr.  J.  if  he  had  applied 
for  the  place. 

"Not  yet,"  said  the  man  of  leisure,  "but  there  is 
time  enough." 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  809 

The  penny  that  morning  was  wet  with  tears.  Another 
morning  arrived. 

"  It  is  very  thoughtless  of  the  boy  to  be  so  late,"  said 
Mr.  J.     "Not  a  soul  here  to  brush  my  coat." 

The  child  came  at  length,  his  face  swollen  with  weep- 
ing. 

"I  am  sorry  to  disappoint  you,"  said  the  man  of 
leisure,  "but  the  place  in  Mr.  C.'s  shop  was  filled  yes- 
terday." 

The  boy  stopped  brushing,  and  burst  afresh  into  tears. 
"I  care  not  now,"  said  he,  sobbing;  "  we  may  as  well 
starve.     Mother  is  dead." 

The  man  of  leisure  was  shocked,  and  he  gave  the  boy 
a  crown. —  Tract  Magazine. 

Dr.  Chalmers,  when  out  from  home  once,  passed  an 
evening  with  a  number  of  pious  friends,  and  a  former 
parishioner,  who  was  72,  and  apparently  in  perfectly 
good  health,  though,  alas  !  as  yet  without  hope  in  Christ. 
During  the  evening  the  conversation  took  a  devout  turn, 
and  was  continued  till  a  late  hour.  The  old  man  listened, 
and  seemed  attentive.  Dr.  C.  observed  this,  and  felt 
inclined  to  speak  to  him  personally  about  his  eternal 
interest,  but  thought  it  would  hardly  be  proper  before 
the  company.  The  next  morning  a  noise  was  heard  in 
the  old  man's  room.  Dr.  C.  ran  in  just  in  time  to  see 
him  die.  It  was  a  solemn  scene ;  and  no  sooner  was  it 
certain  that  life  was  extinct,  than  he  called  the  whole 
household  together,  and,  kneeling  down,  offered  a  most 
affecting  prayer,  and  gave  a  solemn  exhortation.  But 
he  was  greatly  distressed  the  whole  day,  a  large  part  of 
which  was  spent  with  a  friend  in  the  woods.  "  It  was 
touching,"  said  that  friend,  "to  see  him  sit  down  oo  « 


olO  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

bank,  frequently  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  and  say,  *  Ah ! 
God  has  rebuked  me.  I  know  now  what  St.  Paul  means 
by  being  instant  in  season,  out  of  season.  Had  I  ad- 
dressed that  old  man  last  night  with  urgency,  I  might 
have  seemed  ^out  of  season'  to  human  eye,  but  how 
seasonable  it  would  have  been.'  " 

"  I'm  LOST !   I'm  lost  !" — 

A  youth  of  sixteen  was  the  son  and  hope  of  pious 
parents,  and  the  favorite  of  a  large  circle  of  friends. 
His  parents  often  pleaded  with  him,  urging  him  to  imme- 
diate repentance,  and  warning  him,  by  a  brother's  recent 
grave,  of  the  danger  of  delay.  He  listened  in  silent 
and  respectful  attention,  but  the  alluring  pleasures  of 
youth  dazzled  him,  and  he  resolved  to  put  off  the  matter 
for  a  future  day. 

One  evening  he  met  a  circle  of  youthful  acquaintance. 
It  was  a  gay  circle,  and  a  thoughtless  one.  In  the  midst 
of  their  mirth  his  eye  fell  on  a  hymn  book.  He  opened 
it  and  read — 

,   "And  must  this  body  die? 

This  mortal  frame  decay  ? 
And  must  these  active  limbs  of  mine 
Lie  mouldering  in  the  clay  V 

He  laid  down  the  book,  and  forgot  its  warning  voice. 

Late  that  evening  he  came  to  my  chamber,  breathing 
short,  like  one  who  had  been  walking  fast,  and  lay  down 
by  my  side.  After  some  time,  he  turned  to  me  and  said, 
"  Will  you  get  up  and  give  me  a  glass  of  water  ?  I  feel 
unwell."  I  arose  and  called  the  family.  He  was  mani- 
festly ill,  but  not  apparently  in  immediate  danger.  The 
next  morning  he  was  worse.  A  physician  was  called, 
but  did  not  understand  his  case.     Search  was  at  length 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  311 

made,  and  it  was  found  that  he  had  taken  a  dose  of 
deadly  poison.  The  hand  of  death  was  then  upon  him. 
For  three  hours  his  body  was  writhing  in  agony,  but  that 
was  forgotten  in  the  more  excruciating  agonies  of  his 
soul.  I  heard  his  minister  tell  him  of  a  merciful  Sa- 
viour. I  heard  his  father,  kneeling  by  his  bed-side,  pour 
out  to  God  the  most  agonizing  prayer  for  him  that  lan- 
guage could  express.  I  heard  his  mother  exclaim,  "  0 
my  son !  my  son !"  till  she  swooned  and  sank  on  the 
floor.  I  heard  him,  as  he  tossed  from  side  to  side,  cry 
out,  "  0  Lord,  have  mercy  on  my  soul !  0  my  God, 
have  mercy  on  me  ! — mercy  !  mercy  !  mercy  !"  And 
then,  reaching  out  his  hands  towards  his  father,  he  ex- 
claimed, "  I  am  lost !  I  am  lost !  am  I  not,  father  ?" 
His  breath  grew  shorter  and  his  voice  fainter,  until, 
raising  his  hands,  as  if  he  would  cry  "mercy"  once 
more,  he  expired.  Fifteen  years  have  rolled  away  since 
I  heard  those  cries  of  dying  agony,  but  they  ring  in  my 
ears  now,  as  if  it  were  but  an  hour.  That  look  of  fierce 
despair  is  now  in  my  eye,  and  my  ear  echoes  with  the 
heart-rending  cry,  "  I  am  lost !  I  am  lost !  am  I  not, 
father?"  How  can  I  forget  them?  They  came  from 
the  death-bed  of  my  friend,  and  that  friend  my  own  be- 
loved brother. —  Youth's  Cabinet 

PROMISES— GOD'S. 

"  TuE  PROMISE  of  God  is  but  the  birth  of  the  purpose 
of  Godr— Traill 

"  I  KNOW  of  no  promise  which  does  not  stand  upon 
doctrine." — J.  S.  Evans. 

"  When  the  Spirit  of  God  giveth  us  faith  to  believe 


312  LLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

a  promise,  we  are  just  on  the  verge  of  receiving  it."— > 
Ibid. 

"  Rest  in  the  promise,  do  not  snatch  the  comfort. 
Talce  it  from  Grod — do  not  give  it  yourself." — Ibid. 

"Judge  not  of  God's  love  by  providences  but  by 
promises." —  Wilcox. 

"  God  is  wise  to  conceal  the  succors  he  intends  thee, 
in  the  several  changes  of  thy  life,  that  so  he  may  draw 
thy  heart  into  an  entire  dependance  on  his  faithful  prom- 
ise. Therefore,  though  thou  perhaps  might  not  see  thy 
God  in  the  way,  thou  shalt  surely  find  him  in  the  end." 
— Gurnall. 

The  promises  of  Scripture  are  like  a  fragrant 
flower;  meditation,  like  the  bee,  sucks  honey  out  of 
them. 

"  Let  it  be  thy  chief  concern  to  have  thy  interest  in 
and  right  to  the  promises  cleared  up.  This  is  the  hinge 
on  which  the  great  dispute  between  thee  and  Satan  will 
move  in  the  day  of  trouble.  Oh,  it  is  sad  for  a  poor 
Christian  to  stand  at  the  door  of  the  promise,  in  the 
dark  night  of  affliction,  afraid  to  lift  the  latch,  whereas 
he  should  then  come  as  boldly  for  shelter  as  a  child  into 
his  Father's  house." — Grurnall. 

"  Not  only  to  tell  him  of  our  wants — that  is  but  half- 
prayer,  but  to  speak  to  him  of  his  promises — to  rest  in 
his  word." — J.  H.  Evans. 

The  promises  are  the  veins  in  which  the  gold  runs , 
it  is  a  work  of  faith  to  stamp  this  golden  ore  into 
ready  money,  for  the  present  necessity  of  the  soul." — 
HopMns. 

"  If  thou  lean  upon  the  promises  of  God  themselves 
and  not  upon  Jesus  Christ  in  them,  all  will  come  to 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  313 

nothing.  .  .  .  Whence  is  it,  that  so  many  souls  bring  a 
promise  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and  carry  so  little  away 
from  it  ?  They  lean  upon  the  promises,  without  leaning 
on  Christ  in  the  promise." — Faithful  Teate. 

"  The  promises  of  God  are  solid  food.  Satan's 
promises  are  baits,  as  the  meat  that  fowlers  set  before 
birds,  which  is  not  to  feed  them,  but  to  take  them." — 
Spurstowe, 

— "  Great  for  their  extent,  precious  for  their  excel-* 
lency ;  the  promises  are  a  cabinet  of  jewels.  ...  A 
garden  of  flowers,  paled  in  and  enclosed,  which  no 
stranger  may  gather,  but  only  the  children  of  the 
family." 

"  We  have  less  power  to  stand  than  our  first  parents, 
but  we  have  better  promises." — Mason. 

"  God's  promises  are  a  defence  against  man's  threat- 
enings.  The  promises  of  the  gospel  are  sealed  to  us  by 
the  word  of  the  Father,  the  blood  of  the  Son,  and  the 
witness  of  the  Spirit." — Ihid, 

PROVIDENCE— DIVINE. 

The  Bible  is  God's  will  revealed — providence  his  will 
illustrated.  The  one  shows  the  machinery  of  the  clock, 
the  other  the  dial  plate. 

Providence  is  not  our  Bible,  though  it  is  useful  to 
help  to  understand  and  illustrate  the  Bible. 

"What  we  call  'the  course  of  nature,'  should  often 
be  termed  the  way  of  providence^ — Henry. 

"  How  CROSS  so  ever  the  winds  and  tides  of  providence 
at  any  time  may  seem  to  us,  yet  nothing  is  more  certain 
than  that  they  all  conspire  to  hasten  sanctified  souls  to 
Qod^r—Flavel 

21 


314  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

Every  bullet  has  its  billet. 

"  God  often  hangs  the  greatest  weights  on  the  smallest 
wires. ' ' — Bacon. 

Quarrel  not  with  God's  unfinished  providences. 

Providence  should  be  trusted,  not  tempted ;  followed, 
not  forced. 

"All  providences  to  a  gracious  heart  are  but  so 
many  fulfilments  of  promises." — Beadle. 

"A  crust  of  God's  carving  is  better  than  a  banquet 
of  our  own  providing.  God's  allowance  is  ever  best. 
We  may  beg  for  our  daily  bread,  but  we  must  let  God 
be  our  carver." — Ibid. 

Wicked  men  are  so  self-conceited,  that  they  pre- 
sume to  arrange  the  Divine  providence,  and  to  judge 
the  stick  under  water  by  an  eye  of  sense,  when  indeed 
it  is  straight. 

"All  G^d's  providences  are  but  his  touch  of  the 
strings,  of  the  great  instrument  of  the  world." — CJiar- 
nocJc. 

As  to  daily  occurrences,  it  is  best  to  believe  that 
a  daily  portion  of  comforts  and  crosses,  each  one  the 
most  suitable  to  our  case,  is  appointed  us  and  adjusted 
by  the  hand  that  was  nailed  to  the  cross. 

The  smith  uses  crooked  tools. — "  Suppose  you 
were  in  a  smith's  shop,  and  there  should  see  several 
sorts  of  tools,  some  crooked,  some  bowed,  others  hooked, 
would  you  condemn  all  these  things  for  nought,  because 
they  do  not  look  handsome  ?  The  smith  makes  use  of 
them  all  for  the  doing  of  his  work.  Thus  it  is  with 
the  providences  of  God,  they  seem  to  us  to  be  very 
crooked  and  strange,  yet  they  all  carry  on  God's  work." 
— Spencer. 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  315 

"  The  human  eye  has  five  tunics  to  guard  it  against 
danger, — the  first  is  like  a  spider  s  weh,  the  second  like 
a  net,  the  third  like  a  herry,  the  fourth  like  a  horn,  the 
fifth  is  the  cover  or  lid  of  the  eye ;  these  resemble  the 
various  ways  Providence  takes,  to  preserve  our  souls  and 
bodies." — Flavel. 

Joseph's  parti-colored  coat  was  a  striking  emblem 
of  the  various  providences  of  his  chequered  life. 

Footsteps. — When  the  question  was  asked  of  an 
Arab  wild  in  his  own  desert,  "  How  do  you  know  there 
is  a  God?"  the  man  looked  again  upon  the  questioner, 
with  apparent  indignation,  and  answered,  "  How  do  I 
know  there  is  a  God  ?  How  do  I  know  whether  a  man 
or  a  camel  passed  by  my  tent  last  night  ?"  The  Lord 
is  known  by  the  footsteps  of  his  providence. 

"  Some  dispensations  and  turns  of  Divine  provi- 
dence may  be  compared  to  the  main-spring  or  capital 
wheels  of  a  watch,  which  have  a  more  visible,  sensible, 
and  determining  influence  upon  the  whole  tenor  of  our 
lives ;  but  the  more  ordinary  occurrences  of  every  day, 
are  at  least  pins  and  pivots,  adjusted,  timed,  and  suited 
with  equal  accuracy,  by  the  hand  of  the  same  great 
Artist  who  planned  and  executes  the  whole ;  and  we  are 
sometimes  surprised  to  see  how  much  more  depends  and 
turns  upon  them  than  we  are  aware  of.  Then  we  admire 
his  skill,  and  say  he  has  done  all  things  well." — John 
Newton. 

Narrow  escapes. — "A  little  error  of  the  eye,  a  mis- 
guidance of  the  hand,  a  slip  of  the  foot,  a  starting  of 
the  horse,  a  sudden  mist,  or  a  great  shower,  or  a  word 
undesignedly  cast  forth  in  an  army,  has  turned  the 
stream  of  victory  from  one  side  to  another,  and  thereby 


316  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

disposed  of  empires  and  whole  nations.  No  prince  ever 
returns  safe  out  of  a  battle  but  may  well  remember,  how 
many  blows  and  bullets  have  gone  ly  him  that  might 
easily  have  gone  through  him,  and  by  what  little  odd 
unforeseen  chances,  death  has  been  turned  aside,  which 
seemed  in  a  full,  ready,  and  direct  career  to  have  been 
posting  to  him.  All  which  passages  if  we  do  not  acknow- 
ledge to  have  been  guided  to  their  respective  ends  and 
effects  by  the  conduct  of  a  superior  and  a  Divine  hand, 
we  do  by  the  same  assertion  cashier  all  providence,  strip 
the  Almighty  of  his  noblest  prerogative,  and  make  God, 
not  the  governor,  but  the  mere  spectator  of  the  world." 
— South. 

Judging  by  the  wrong  side. — "  I  looked  upon  the 
wrong  or  back  side  of  a  piece  of  arras  (or  tapestry),  it 
seemed  to  me  as  a  continued  nonsense,  there  was  neither 
head  nor  foot  therein,  confusion  itself  had  as  much 
method  in  it ;  a  company  of  thrums  and  threads,  with 
many  pieces  and  patches  of  several  sorts,  sizes,  and 
colors,  all  which  signified  nothing  to  my  understanding. 
But  then  looking  on  the  reverse,  or  right  side  thereof, 
all  put  together  did  spell  excellent  proportions  and 
figures  of  men  and  cities.  So  that  indeed  it  was  a  his 
tory,  not  wrote  with  a  pen,  but  wrought  with  a  needle. 
If  men  look  upon  some  of  God's  providential  dealings 
with  a  mere  eye  of  reason,  they  will  hardly  find  any 
sense  therein,  such  their  muddle  and  disorder.  But, 
alas !  the  wrong  side  is  objected  to  our  eyes  while  the 
right  side  is  presented  to  the  high  God  of  heaven,  who 
knoweth  that  an  admirable  order  doth  result  out  of  this 
confusion ;  and  what  is  presented  to  him  at  present  may 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  817 

hereafter  be  so  showed  to  us  as  to  convince  our  judgments 
in  the  truth  thereof."—^.  Fuller, 

Wet  Sundays. — Christians  are  often  apt  to  murmur 
when  a  wet  Sunday  comes,  and  they  are  debarred  from 
the  spiritual  delight  they  feel  in  going  up  to  the  house 
of  the  Lord.  But  let  them  remember  the  wonderful 
providences  which  are  brought  to  light  by  wet  Sundays ! 
How  many  careless  ones  have  been  led  within  the  church 
door  for  shelter,  and  there  have  been  unexpectedly 
arrested  by  a  text  or  sermon,  and  been  afterwards  able 
to  date  their  conversion  from  that  very  rainy  day.  Or 
take  the  great  Bible  Society  itself:  when  we  remember 
how  its  origin  arose  from  a  wet  Sunday,  and  think  of 
all  the  millions  of  copies  of  the  word  of  God  it  has 
sent  into  the  world ;  instead  of  repining  at  the  loss  of 
our  pleasures  let  us  rather  be  thankful  for  God's  good- 
ness. 

Napoleon. — "When  Napoleon  was  about  to  invade 
Russia,  a  person  who  had  endeavored  to  dissuade  him 
from  his  purposes,  finding  that  he  could  not  prevail, 
quoted  to  him  the  proverb,  '  Man  proposes,  but  God  dis- 
poses:' to  which  he  indignantly  replied,  'I  dispose  as 
well  as  propose.' 

"A  Christian  lady  hearing  the  impious  boast,  re- 
marked: 'I  set  down  that  as  the  turning-point  of  Napo- 
leon's fortunes.  God  will  not  permit  a  creature  thus 
with  impunity  to  usurp  his  prerogative.'  It  happened 
just  as  the  lady  had  predicted, — Napoleon's  invasion  of 
llussia  was  the  commencement  of  his  fall." 

The  covetous  merchant  reproved. — "A  merchant 
was  one  day  returning  from  market.  He  was  on  horse- 
back, and  behind  his  saddle  was   a  valise  filled  with 

27  * 


318  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

money.  The  rain  fell  with  violence,  and  the  old  mais 
was  wet  to  the  skin.  At  this  he  was  quite  vexed,  and 
murmured  because  God  had  given  him  such  bad  weather 
for  his  journey. 

"  He  soon  reached  the  border  of  a  thick  forest.  What 
was  his  terror,  on  beholding  on  one  side  of  the  road  a 
robber,  who,  with  levelled  gun,  was  aiming  at  him  and 
attempting  to  fire !  But  the  powder  being  wet  with  the 
rain,  the  gun  did  not  go  ofi",  and  the  merchant,  giving 
spurs  to  his  horse,  fortunately  had  time  to  escape. 

"As  soon  as  he  found  himself  safe,  he  said,  ^How 
wrong  was  I  not  to  endure  the  rain  patiently  as  sent  by 
Providence?  If  the  weather  had  been  dry  and  fair,  I 
should  not  probably  have  been  alive  at  this  hour;  the 
rain  which  caused  me  to  murmur  came  at  a  fortunate 
moment,  to  save  my  life  and  preserve  to  me  my  pro- 
perty.' " — Christian  Treasury. 

Luther's  two  miracles. — On  the  5th  August,  1530, 
an  awful  crisis  for  the  Reformation,  when  the  firmest 
seemed  to  swerve,  and  the  boldest  to  tremble,  Luther 
thus  wrote  to  Chancellor  Bench: — ''I  have  recently  wit- 
nessed two  miracles.  This  is  the  first, — As  I  was  at  my 
window,  I  saw  the  stars  and  the  sky  and  that  vast  and 
glorious  firmament  in  which  the  Lord  has  placed  them. 
I  could  nowhere  discover  the  columns  on  which  the 
Master  has  supported  his  immense  vault,  and  yet  the 
heavens  did  not  fall. 

"And  here  is  the  second, — I  beheld  thick  clouds  hang- 
ing above  us  like  a  vast  sea.  I  could  neither  perceive 
ground  on  which  they  reposed,  nor  cords  by  which  they 
were  suspended ;  and  yet  they  did  not  fall  upon  us,  but 
Baluted  us  rapidly  and  fled  away." 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  319 

These  miracles,  as  Luther  called  them,  filled  him  with 
unconquerable  trust  and  joy  in  God.  Well  they  might ! 
so  may  they  us.  We  see  them  wrought  before  us  every 
night  and  every  day. 

Melancthon,  when  he  used  sometimes  to  be  too 
anxious  and  troubled,  would  chide  away  his  fears  by 
saying,  "Let  Philip  cease  to  rule  the  world." 

Madame  Guyon  writes  of  herself,  "  My  soul  was  not 
only  brought  into  harmony  with  itself  and  with  God, 
but  with  God's  providences.  In  the  exercise  of  faith 
and  love,  I  endured  and  performed  whatever  came  in 
God's  providence,  in  submission,  in  thankfulness,  in  si- 
lence. I  was  now  in  God  and  God  in  me;  and  where 
God  is,  there  is  as  much  simplicity  as  power." 

CowPER  the  poet. — We  are  told  by  his  biographers 
that  the  well-known  hymn,  beginning  "  God  moves  in  a 
mysterious  way,"  was  written  at  the  close  of  the  happy 
period  which  intervened  between  the  first  and  second 
attacks  of  his  cruel  malady ;  and  that  what  suggested  its 
composition  was  the  too  truly  interpreted  indication  of  a 
relapse.  His  mind  had  been  wholly  restored  to  him ;  he 
had  been  singularly  happy  in  his  religion ;  and  he  had 
striven  earnestly,  as  in  the  case  of  his  dying  brother,  to 
bring  others  under  its  influence.  And  now  too  surely 
feeling  that  his  intellect  was  again  on  the  eve  of  being 
darkened,  he  deemed  the  providence  a  "frowning  one," 
but  believed  in  faith,  that  there  was  a  "smiling  face'* 
behind  it. 

Dr.  Bogue. — It  was  said  of  him,  so  spiritual  was  hia 
mind,  that  he  used  to  read  the  Newspaper  as  devotionally 
as  many  persons  read  the  Bible. 


820  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

QUARRELLING. 

"  When  worthy  men  fall  out,  only  one  of  them  may 
bo  faulty  at  the  first;  but  if  strife  continue  long,  com- 
monly both  become  guilty." — Fuller. 

"I  CONSIDER  your  very  testy  and  quarrelsome  people 
in  the  same  light  as  I  do  a  loaded  gun,  which  may,  by 
accident,  go  ofi"  and  kill  one." — Shenstone. 

The  hatred  of  those  who  are  most  nearly  connected, 
is  most  inveterate. 

"  It  is  a  good  rule  in  some  nurseries,  where  children 
quarrel  over  their  toys,  to  remove  the  thing  contended 
for,  and  hang  it  up  where  they  can  see  it,  but  may  not 
touch  it  for  a  given  time — a  day  or  a  week.  It  is  a 
silent  witness  against  strife.  To  this  day,  the  writer  re- 
members the  very  tones  of  her  beloved  father's  voice 
(the  Rev.  E.  Bickersteth),  when  his  oft-repeated  words, 
^Love,  love,  dear  children,'  repressed  many  rising  storms 
of  contention." — Mothers  in  Council. 

"When  Christians  fall  out,"  says  an  old  writer, 
"it  is  giving  the  devil  a  staff  to  beat  them  with.  It  is 
laying  the  coals,  which  he  delights  to  blow  up  into  a 
blaze." 

"Yielding  pacifieth  great  offences"  (Eccl.  x.  4). 
■ — Two  persons  in  a  company  had  quarrelled,  and  used 
harsh  language  to  each  other ;  but,  at  the  prudent  insti- 
gation of  a  friend,  one  of  them  took  his  departure,  and 
left  the  other  to  blhster  alone.  For  this,  however,  he 
WAS  afterwards  sorry,  supposing  that  it  might  be  inter- 
preted as  cowardly,  and  that  his  opponent  might  be 
tempted,  by  the  impunity  by  which  he  escaped,  to  repeat 
his  insult.  Gotthold  having  heard  the  case,  said  to  him, 
"  Tell  me,  my  friend,  were  you  climbing  a  hill,  and  were 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.         321 

a  great  stone  or  block  to  be  rolled  down  towards  jou, 
would  you  consider  it  disgraceful  to  step  aside,  and  allow 
it  to  rush  past?  If  not,  what  disgrace  can  there  be  in 
avoiding  and  giving  way  to  a  man  instigated  by  drink  or 
anger,  until  he  has  had  time  for  reflection,  and  his  agi- 
tated mind  finds  rest  in  repentance  ?  He  who  breaks  his 
will  and  yields  is  ascending ;  he  who  gives  the  reins  to  his 
passions  is  falling." — GottholcCs  Emblems. 

The  Rev.  W.  Howels. — It  is  related  of  him,  that 
when  two  persons  came  to  him  to  settle  a  dispute,  both 
believing  the  other  to  be  in  the  wrong; — having  heard 
them  both,  patiently,  he  wisely* said,  ''Let  the  innocent 
forgive  the  guilty,'' 

The  Rev.  H.  Venn  was  very  particular  in  the  care 
he  took  of  his  servants.  The  history  of  his  faithful  ser- 
vant Ruth  Clark  is  well  known.  On  one  occasion,  when 
he  heard  a  quarrel  going  on  between  her  and  one  of  the 
other  servants,  he  was  so  much  shocked,  that,  after 
speaking  to  them  both  in  the  most  solemn  manner,  he 
told  them  that  they  must  humble  themselves,  before  God 
in  private,  and  therefore  they  would  have  no  family 
prayer  for  a  week.  During  this  time,  Mr.  V.'s  deport- 
ment bespoke  the  deepest  humiliation  and  concern,  and 
for  two  days  he  continued  in  his  study  alone,  engaged  in 
fasting  and  prayer. 

The  Rev.  John  Clark,  of  Frome,  was  a  man  of 
peace. — "  He  was  asked  one  day  by  a  friend  how  he  kept 
himself  from  being  involved  in  quarrels.  He  answered, 
'  By  letting  the  angry  person  always  have  the  quarrel  to 
himself.'  This  saying  seems  to  have  had  some  influence 
on  some  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  town;  for  when  a 
quarrel  has  been  likely  to  ensue,  they  have  said,  '  Come, 


322  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

let  US  remenber  old  Mr.  Clark,  and  leave  the  angry  man 
to  quarrel  by  himself.'  If  this  maxim  were  followed,  it 
would  be  a  vast  saving  of  expense,  of  comfort,  and  of 
honor  to  thousands  of  the  human  race." — Qheever's 
Anecdotes. 

How  BEST  TO  LIVE  IN  PEACE. — "Mr.  Johnston  of 
West  Africa,  in  one  of  his  journals,  relates  the  following 
very  pleasing  and  instructive  incident. — *  In  visiting  a 
sick  communicant,  his  wife,  who  was  formerly  in  our 
school,  was  present.  I  asked  several  questions,  viz.,  if 
they  prayed  together,  read  a  part  of  the  Scriptures  (the 
woman  can  read),  constantly  attended  public  worship, 
and  lived  in  peace  with  their  neighbors.  All  these  ques- 
tions were  answered  in  the  affirmative.  I  then  asked  if 
they  lived  in  peace  together.  The  man  answered,  "  Some- 
times I  say  a  word  my  wife  no  like,  or  my  wife  talk  or 
do  what  I  no  like ;  but  when  we  want  to  quarrel  we 
shake  hands  together,  shut  the  door,  and  go  to  prayer.; 
and  so  we  get  peace  again."  This  method  of  keeping 
peace  quite  delighted  me.'  " — Ihid. 

QUIETNESS. 

The  heart  that  is  to  be  filled  to  the  brim  with  holy 
joy,  must  be  held  still.  Who  could  fill  a  moving  ves- 
sel? 

The  world's  unrest. — "  There  is  a  restlessness  and 
a  fretfulness  in  these  days,  which  stand  like  two  granite 
walls  against  godliness.  Contentment  is  almost  neces- 
sary to  godliness,  and  godliness  is  absolutely  necessary 
to  contentment.  A  very  restless  man  will  never  be  a 
very  godly,  and  a  very  godly  man  will  never  be  a  very 
restless  man.     *  Be  still,  and  know  that  I  am  God.'     Let 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  323 

US  restless,  speculative,  progressive,  Anglo-Saxon  Chris- 
tians, study  the  meaning  of  that  beautiful  sentence,  '  Be 
stilly  and  know  that  I  am  God.'  " — Christian  Treasury. 

"  Stillness  of  spirit  is  like  the  canvas,  for  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  draw  his  various  graces  upon." — Dr. 
Love. 

"  Many  a  one  is  at  a  great  expense  of  pains  and 
money  to  learn  the  art  of  speaking;  the  Christian 
has  enough  to  do,  in  the  school  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
and  the  cross,  to  learn  to  hold  his  tongue." — Christian 
Scriver. 

"  The  really  and  substantially  happy  people  in  the 
world,  are  always  calm  and  quiet." — Recreations  of  a 
Country  Parson. 

"  In  proportion  as  the  heart  becomes  sanctified,  there 
is  a  diminished  tendency  to  enthusiasm  and  fanaticism. 
And  this  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  leading  tests  of  sanc- 
tification.  One  of  the  marks  of  an  enthusiastic  and 
fanatical  state  of  mind,  is  a  fiery  and  unrestrained  im- 
petuosity pf  feeling;  a  rushing  on,  sometimes  very 
blindly,  as  if  the  world  were  in  danger,  or  as  if  the 
great  Creator  were  not  at  the  helm.  It  is  not  only  feel- 
ing without  a  good  degree  of  judgment,  but,  what  is  the 
corrupting  and  fatal  trait,  it  is  feeling  without  a  due 
degree  of  confidence  in  God.  True  holiness  reflects  the 
image  of  God  in  this  respect,  as  well  as  in  others,  that 
it  is  calm,  thoughtful,  deliberate,  immutable.  And  how 
can  it  be  otherwise,  since,  rejecting  its  own  wisdom  and 
strength,  it  incorporates  into  itself  the  wisdom  and 
strength  of  the  Almighty?" — Upham. 

"The  child  of  God  should  live  above  the  world, 
moving  through  it,  as  some  quiet  star  moves  through 


324  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

the   blue   sky, — clear,    and   serene,   and   still." — Hetty 
Bowman. 

Cultivate  quietness. — "  Many  people  seem  to  cul- 
tivate the  reverse.  They  are  always  in  a  hurry — always 
bustling — always  rushing  about  hither  and  thither,  as 
if  they  meant  to  exemplify  in  their  own  proper  persons 
the  theory  of  perpetual  motion.  And  then,  if  every- 
thing does  not  go  quite  straight,  if  there  is  some  little 
hitch  which  prevents  the  wheels  of  daily  life  from  run- 
ning smoothly,  they  fuss,  and  fume,  and  fret,  till  they 
make  matters  ten  times  worse.  Now,  this  is  a  very  bad 
plan.  You  will  rarely  find  that  these  people  accomplish 
much.  What  they  build  up  with  one  hand,  they  pull 
down  with  the  other.  They  forget  that  in  'quietness 
and  confidence  is  their  strength.'  And,  moreover,  there 
is  no  inherent  power  in  noisy  excitement.  Far  better  is 
it  to  keep  calm,  and  take  things  quietly  as  they  come. 
Do  what  you  can,  and  what  you  cannot  do  leave  to  God. 
And  when  troubles  come,  do  leave  them  to  God  too. 
Bend  down  and  let  the  cloud  sweep  over  you,  and  when 
it  has  passed,  look  up  to  the  blue  heaven  beyond  it,  and 
thank  God  that  it  remains  there  still.  But  you  will  not 
make  the  cloud  one  whit  the  less  dark,  by  being  restless 
and  impatient  under  it ; 

*  Our  cross  iand  trial  do  but  press 
The  heavier  for  our  bitterness.' 

Bather  lie  still  before  God,  and  let  him  do  with  you  as 
seemeth  to  him  good ;  not  in  the  stillness  of  indifference 
or  stoicism,  but  the  stillness  of  childlike  submission, 
which  leaves  One  to  choose  for  it  who  will  surely  choose 
for  the  best.     *  Study,'  then,  '  to  be  quiet,'  alike  in  doing 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  325 

and  in  suffering.  Pray  that  God  may  '  calm,  and  keep 
you  calm,'  resting  in  his  love  and  dwelling  in  the  secret 
of  his  presence." — Ibid. 

"  All  BIRDS  when  they  are  first  caught  and  put  into 
the  cage,  fly  wildly  up  and  down  and  beat  themselves 
against  their  little  prisons  ;  but  within  two  or  three  days 
sit  quietly  upon  their  perch,  and  sing  their  usual  notes 
with  their  usual  melody.  So  it  fares  with  us,  when  God 
first  brings  us  into  a  strait,  we  wildly  flutter  up  and  down, 
and  beat  and  tire  ourselves  with  striving  to  get  free ;  but 
at  length  custom  and  experience  will  make  our  narrow 
confinement  spacious  enough  for  us ;  and  though  our 
feet  should  be  in  the  stocks,  yet  shall  we,  with  the  apos- 
tles, be  able  even  there  to  sing  praises  to  our  God." — 
Hopkins. 

"  The  STILL  and  quiet  soul  is  like  a  ship  that  lies 
still  and  quiet  in  the  harbor.  You  may  take  in  what 
goods  and  commodities  you  please,  whilst  the  ship  lies 
quiet  and  still :  so  when  the  soul  lies  quiet  and  still 
under  the  hand  of  God,  it  is  most  fitted  and  advantaged 
to  take  in  much  of  God,  of  Christ,  of  heaven,  of  the 
promises,  of  ordinances,  and  of  the  love  of  God,  the 
smiles  of  God,  the  communications  of  God,  and  the 
counsel  of  God ;  but  when  souls  are  unquiet,  they  are 
like  a  ship  in  a  storm,  they  can  take  in  nothing." — 
Brooks. 

"  A  BUNDLE  OP  FIRE-CRACKERS  Contains  much  more 
powder  than  a  loaded  pistol,  but  it  operates  very  differ- 
ently. The  one  starts  a  series  of  ineffectual  but  noisy  little 
emissions,  a  short  distance  in  all  directions ;  the  other 
shoots  far  and  deep  in  one.  And  the  reason  of  the  dif- 
ference is  one  worth  study.     In  the  one  case  the  barrel 

28 


326  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

is  of  paper,  in  the  other  of  steel.  The  energy  of  the 
one  is  scattered  by  its  shell,  that  of  the  other  concen- 
trated. We  should  recollect  this,  in  matters  religious 
as  well  as  secular.  "We  discredit  as  well  as  dissipate  our 
religious  character,  by  a  discomposed  and  restless  man- 
ner; and  self-compression  and  self-chastisement  are 
nearly  allied  to  humility.  The  man  that  waits  at  all, 
soon  learns  to  wait  upon  the  Lord.  And  indeed  there 
is  something  exquisitively  attractive  as  well  as  comfort- 
ing in  composure.  It  is  a  great  deal  to  sit  in  peace 
while  the  world  is  rocking  "about ;  for  it  proves  to  us 
that  we  are  steadied  by  a  power  above  the  world.  To 
the  Christian  there  is  peculiar  value  in  this.  It  is  the 
only  quality  by  which  he  can  disarm  the  world;  for 
while  the  world  can  meet  him  with  wit,  and  strength,  and 
sometimes  argument,  it  cannot  meet  him  with  peace.  In 
the  Christian's  humility  and  peacefulness  also  is  his  ag- 
gressive power.  In  families  this  is  greatly  the  case  ;  for 
the  meek  manner  has  wrought  all  the  conversions  which 
the  little  family  circle  knows — ^the  eloquent  tongue  none. 
'A  meek  and  quiet  spirit,'  let  my  prayer  be,  'give  me, 
OLord!'" 

The  fireman's  daughter — sitting  still. — "  It  was 
a  large  school,  the  pupils  were  assembled  and  busily  en- 
gaged in  their  work,  when  there  was  a  sudden  alarm  of 
fire.  As  usual,  a  terrible  panic  immediately  ensued.  In 
wild  confusion  and  with  shrieks  and  cries  every  one 
darted  to  the  doors  of  the  school-room,  forming  there  a 
mass  so  dense  as  to  render  escape  absolutely  impossible 
to  many.  In  the  struggle  to  get  out,  several  of  the 
children  were  seriously  injured,  and  one  young  lady,  a 
teacher,  rushed  to  an  open  window,  and  jumped  out  of 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  327 

it !  Throughout  this  scene  of  confusion  one  girl — one 
of  the  best-conducted  in  the  school,  maintained  her  self- 
composure  and  remained  seated  on  the  bench,  where  she 
had  been  when  the  alarm  commenced,  without  once  mov- 
ing. The  color  had  indeed  forsaken  her  face ;  her  lips 
quivered,  and  some  tears  rolled  slowly  down  her  cheeks ; 
but  not  one  crj,  not  one  word  escaped,  and  there  she  sat 
silent  and  motionless  as  a  white  marble  statue,  till  all 
danger  was  declared  to  be  over.  After  order  had  been 
restored,  and  her  companions  had  been  brought  back  to 
their  places,  except  those  who  were  too  much  hurt  or  too 
much  frightened  to  resume  their  duties  for  that  day,  the 
question  was  asked  her,  how  it  happened,  that  she  had 
been  so  composed  as  to  sit  still  when  everybody  else  was 
in  such  a  fearful  state  of  fright  ?  Her  reply  was,  '  My 
father  is  a  fireman,  and  he  has  told  me,  that  if  ever 
there  was  an  alarm  of  fire  in  the  school  I  must  just  sit 
still.  I  thought  of  his  words,  and  did  as  he  desired 
me,  and  this  was  what  made  me  stay  quiet.'  " — Tract 
Magazine. 

"  A  LITTLE  child's  idea  of  heaven  was  very  beauti- 
ful. Her  mother  was  of  a  gentle,  meek,  retiring  spirit, 
but  her  father  was  pompous,  proud,  and  officious ;  a 
tyrant  in  his  own  domain.  The  mother  died,  and  poor 
Essie  was  left  to  the  care  of  others,  and  to  her  father's 
rough  words,  unshielded  by  a  mother's  aid.  One  day, 
Essie  said  to  her  nurse,  '  In  heaven,  where  my  mother 
lives,  every  one  is  kind  !  No  one  ever  gets  angry,  or 
speaks  loud  there !  Everybody  loves  everybody ; 
mustn't  that  be  beautiful  ?  Oh,  how  much  I  should  love 
to  be  there,  and  never  be  afraid  any  more." 


328  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

EEASON  AND  FAITH. 

"  There  is  the  man  of  reason  who  will  believe  noth- 
ing hut  what  his  reason  will  allow  him  ;  and  I  believe 
that  that  is  a  quicksand  that  runs  mightily  under  the 
water  in  the  present  day,  on  which  many  a  fair-looking 
vessel  has  been  stranded." — J.  H.  Mvans. 

"  When  we  go  into  the  region  of  reason,  with  the 
great  reasoner,  the  father  of  lies,  we  meet  him  on  his 
own  platform, — no  wonder  he  overcomes  us.  But  when 
we  meet  him  in  the  simplicity  of  faith,  '  I  believe  it,  be- 
cause God  says  it,'  his  fiery  darts  are  quenched  in  a 
moment." — Ibid. 

"The  ocean  is  to  be  sailed  over,  not  fathomed." — 
Bid. 

A  QUAINT  OLD  WRITER  says,  "Reason  and  Faith 
may  be  compared  to  two  travelers.  Faith  is  like  a  man 
in  full  health  who  can  walk  twenty  or  thirty  miles  at  a 
time  without  sufi'ering.  Reason  is  like  a  little  child,  who 
can  only  with  difficulty  accomplish  three  or  four  miles. 
One  day  Reason  proposes  to  Faith  to  go  forth  together. 
Faith  complies,  *  0  Reason,  thou  canst  never  walk  with 
me !'  Well,  they  start.  But  soon  they  come  to  a  deep 
river, — and  Reason  saith,  '- 1  can  never  ford  this  river.' 
Again,  they  reach  a  lofty  mountain,  and  Reason  saith, 
'  I  can  never  climb  this  height ;'  and  so  in  order  not  to 
leave  Reason  behind.  Faith  was  obliged  to  carry  him  on 
his  back  !"  and,  says  the  old  writer, — "  oh,  what  a  lug- 
gage was  Reason  to  Faith  !" 

"  A  CARPENTER  secs  by  his  eyes  when  he  applies  the 
square  whether  the  wood  be  straight  or  not,  but  yet  his 
eye  (without  which  he  could  not  see)  is  not  the  judge  to 
try  whether  the  wood  be  straight  or  not ;  of  that  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.         329 

square  alone  is  the  judge.  So  reason  in  man,  without 
which,  it  is  true,  he  could  not  judge,  is  not  the  square  to 
try  what  is  right  or  wrong  in  order  to  salvation.  The 
word  of  God  alone  can  determine  that." — Spencer* 

"A  TRAVELER  going  to  a  certain  village  to  see  a 
friend,  meets  an  old  man  and  asks  him  the  way.  The 
old  man  says,  '  Go  straight  on,  sir,  and  when  you  come 
to  the  end  of  this  path,  turn  to  the  left.'  The  gentle- 
man went  on,  and  coming  to  the  end  found  two  turnings, 
and  thought,  '  Surely  the  old  man  is  wrong ;  this  must 
be  the  way,  to  the  right ;'  so  Reason  seemed :  but  Faith 
is  the  simple  belief  of  competent  testimony ;  so  he  took 
the  turn  to  the  left,  and  found  Faith  proved  itself  a 
better  guide  than  Reason." 

"  Several  learned  men  tried  to  persuade  a  great 
scholar  to  believe  in  Christianity,  but  it  seems  all  their 
labor  was  in  vain.  A  plain  honest  person,  however, 
managed  the  argument  in  a  different  manner ;  by  refer- 
ring not  so  much  to  logical  reasoning  as  to  the  work  of 
the  Divine  Spirit ;  so  that  at  last  the  scholar  exclaimed, 
'  When  I  heard  no  more  than  human  reason,  I  opposed 
it  with  human  reason ;  but  when  I  heard  the  Spirit,  I 
was  obliged  to  surrender.'  Thus  it  is  that,  trusting  to 
their  own  wisdom,  the  wisest  are  lost ;  while  those  who  ,,^ 
are  taught  of  the  Spirit,  know  the  way  of  God  in  truth. 5*.^^ 
— Buck's  Anecdotes.  ^  ^^ 


^Vs 


RECONCILIATION.  \yf  ^  ^  Oa 

"  What  is  reconciliation  ?"  the  question  was  prop()ge(l  ^  ^- ' 
at  an  Irish  school  examination,  and  the  beautiful  answer 
given, — "  Second  friendship." 

"  SiN  may  be  chained,  and  yet  the  heart  not  changed ; 


330  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

and  so  the  sinner  is  the  same  as  ever.  A  dog  chained 
up  is  a  dog  still,  as  much  as  if  he  was  let  loose  to  devour. 
There  may  be  a  cessation  of  arms  between  enemies,  and 
yet  the  guard  on  foot  still ;  there  may  be  a  making  truce, 
when  there  is  no  making  peace." — Mead. 

Reconciliation  to  be  real  requires  some  common 
ground  of  amity.  Our  anxious  eye  and  the  eye  of  God 
both  meet  on  the  same  spot — the  face  of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  BEST  WAY  to  reconcile  two  disagreeing  families 
or  kingdoms,  is  to  make  a  marriage  between  them ;  for 
the  uniting  of  bloods  ends  all  quarrels.  We  were  all 
adversaries  to  God,  and  he  was  ready  to  fight  against  us 
with  eternal  death, — how  should  peace  be  made  but  by  a 
marriage?" — T.  Adams. 

"  The  fruit  of  reconciliation  is  a  purified  heart, 
arising  from  a  pacified  conscience." 

The  breach  healed. — "  How  strange  that  the  great 
breach  made  by  Satan  should  be  repaired  by  the  break- 
ing of  another  !  '  This  is  my  body,  broken  for  you. ' 
By  the  breaking  of  his  body,  the  power  of  sin  is  broken, 
and  the  great  breach  between  God  and  the  sinner  is 
healed."— (7Am^^«7l  Treasury. 

"  It  is  much  safer  to  reconcile  an  enemy  than  to 
conquer  him.  Victory  deprives  him  of  his  power,  but 
reconciliation  of  his  will ;  and  there  is  less  danger  in  a 
will  which  will  not  hurt,  than  in  a  power  which  cannot." 

"  You  must  .desire  to  be  reconciled  to  God,  that  you 
may  have  fellowship  with  God.  Certainly  a  soul  sensible 
what  the  loss  of  communion  with  God  is,  counts  it  hath 
not  all  her  errand  done  when  it  hath  naked  peace  given 
it ;  should  God  say.  Soul,  I  am  friends  with  thee,  I  have 
ordered  thou  shalt  never  go  to  hell,  here  is  a  discharge 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  331 

under  my  hand  that  thou  shalt  never  be  arrested  for  any 
debt  more ;  but  as  for  any  fellowship  with  me,  or  fruition 
of  me,  thou  canst  expect  none,  I  have  done  with  thee, 
forever  being  acquainted  more  with  thee, — certainly  the 
soul  would  take  little  joy  in  her  peace ;  were  the  fire  out 
as  to  positive  torments,  yet  a  hell  would  be  left  in  the 
dismal  darkness  which  the  soul  would  sit  under  for  want 
of  God's  presence.  Absalom  knew  no  middle  condition 
that  could  please  him  betwixt  seeing  his  father's  face 
and  being  killed.  2  Sam.  xiv.  32.  ^Let  me  see  the 
king's  face,  and  if  there  he  any  iniquity  in  me  let  him 
kill  me.'  If  I  be  not  worthy  to  enjoy  my  Father's  love 
and  presence,  neither  do  I  desire  to  live;  whereas  a 
naughty  heart  seeks  reconciliation  without  any  lonigng 
after  fellowship  with  God, — like  the  traitor,  if  the  king 
will  but  pardon  and  save  him  from  the  gallows  he  is 
ready  to  promise  him  never  to  trouble  him  at  court; 
*tis  his  own  life,  not  the  king's  favor,  he  desires." — 
Gurnall. 

*'  Regenerate  men  sin,  yet  the  peace  is  not  broken 
betwixt  God  and  them,  because  their  minds  never  yielded 
to  sin.  As  it  is  betwixt  princes,  they  are  at  peace; 
though  pirates  of  either  nation  rob  the  other's  subjects, 
yet  it  breaks  not  the  peace,  it  being  done  without  the 
will  of  the  king.  So  it  is  with  sin  in  God's  children, 
it  breaks  not  the  peace  betwixt  God  and  them,  because 
it  is  but  a  rebel,  and  they  agree  not  to  it.  There  is  a 
difference  betwixt  entertaining  of  sins,  as  thieves  and 
robbers,  and  as  guests  and  strangers ;  wicked  men  enter- 
tain sin  as  a  guest,  the  godly  man  as  a  robber ;  the  one 
invites  it  as  a  friend  and  acquaintance,  the  other  throws 
it  off  as  a  rebellious  traitor." — Spencer. 


332  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

"  In  the  making  up  of  a  quarrel  between  man  and 
man,  the  diflBculty  lies  not  so  much  in  arousing  the 
desire  for  reconciliation,  as  in  persuading  either  party 
to  make  the  first  advance  towards  it.  '  I  am  the  injured 
man,  I  am  the  one  whose  pardon  should  be  sought ;  let 
my  adversary  humble  himself,  and  I  may  act  with  gene- 
rosity :*  such  is  the  position  assumed  by  each  party,  and 
thus  in  proud  unwillingness  to  come  forward  and  hold 
out  the  hand  of  fellowship,  each  stands  aloof  and  hatred 
spreads  and  grows. 

"  My  brother,  is  it  not  thus  that  the  quarrel  stands 
between  God  and  thee?  The  ofi'ence,  as  is  seldom  the 
case  in  human  disputes,  lies  altogether  at  thy  door  ;  thou 
hast  forsaken  him,  thou  hast  thrust  him  out  of  thy  heart, 
thou  hast  said,  '  Depart  from  me,  for  I  desire  not  the 
knowledge  of  thy  ways ;'  and  he,  what  is  his  attitude  ? 

Oh !  for  very  shame,  haste  thee,  for  see 

he  has  risen  from  his  throne,  he  is  advancing  to  meet 
thee.  See  the  outstretched  hand;  wilt  thou  not  take  it? 
It  is  the  hand  of  offered  friendship ;  dost  thou  wait  for 
words  ?  They  shall  not  be  wanting.  God  beseeches  thee, 
Christ  prai/8  thee  to  be  reconciled  to  God ;  truly  it  is 
love  which  passes  all  understanding!" — Sayings  of  the 
King, 

"  Sir  Thomas  More,  whilst  he  was  a  prisoner  in  the 
Tower,  would  not  so  much  as  suffer  himself  to  be  trimmed, 
saying,  '  That  there  was  a  controversy  betwixt  the  King 
and  him  for  his  head,  and  till  that  was  at  a  happy  end, 
he  would  be  at  no  cost  about  it.'  Let  us  but  scum  off 
the  froth  of  his  wit,  and  we  may  make  a  solemn  use  of 
it.  For  certainly  all  the  cost  we  bestow  upon  ourselves 
to  make  our  lives  pleasurable  and  joyous  to  us,  is  but 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.         333 

mere  follj,  till  it  be  decided  what  will  become  of  the 
suit  betwixt  God  and  us,  what  will  be  the  issue  of  the 
controversy  that  God  hath  against  us,  and  that  not  for 
our  heads,  but  souls,  whether  for  heaven  or  hell.  Were 
it  not,  then,  the  wisest  course  to  begin  with  making  our 
peace,  and  then  we  may  soon  lead  a  happy  life  ?  It  is 
said.  He  that  gets  out  of  debt  grows  rich.  Most  sure  it 
is  that  the  pardoned  soul  cannot  be  poor,  for  as  soon  as 
the  peace  is  concluded,  a  free  trade  is  opened  between 
God  and  the  soul.  If  once  pardoned,  we  may  then  sail 
to  any  port  that  lies  in  God's  dominions  and  be  wel- 
come; where  all  the  promises  stand  open  with  their 
treasure,  and  say.  Here,  poor  soul,  take  full  lading-in 
of  all  precious  things  as  much  as  thy  faith  can  bear 
away. ' ' — Spencer. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Kilpin  gives  the  following  account 
of  his  son : — "  On  one  occasion,  when  he  had  offended 
me,  I  deemed  it  right  to  manifest  displeasure,  and  when 
he  asked  a  question  about  the  business  of  the  day  I  was 
short  and  reserved  in  my  answers  to  him.  An  hour  or 
more  elapsed.  The  time  w^as  nearly  arrived  when  he 
was  to  repeat  his  lessons.  He  came  into  my  study,  and 
sairi,  '  Papa,  I  cannot  learn  my  lessons  except  you  are 
reconciled ;  I  am  very  sorry  I  have  offended  you ;  I 
hope  you  will  forgive  me,  I  think  I  shall  never  offend 
again.' 

"I  replied,  'All  I  want  is  to  make  you  sensible  of 
your  fault ;  when  you  acknowledge  it  you  know  all  is 
easily  reconciled  with  me.' 

"  '  Then,  papa,'  said  he,  *  give  me  the  token  of  recon- 
ciliation, and  seal  it  with  a  kiss.'  The  hand  was  given 
and  the  seal  most  heartily  exchanged  on  each  side. 


334  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

"  'Now,'  exclaimed  the  dear  boy,  ^I  will  learn  Greek 
and  Latin  with  anybody;'  and  was  hastening  to  his 
study. 

"'Stop,  stop,'  I  called  after  him,  "have  you  not  a 
heavenly  Father  ?  if  what  you  have  done  has  been  evil, 
he  is  displeased,  and  you  must  apply  to  him  for  forgive- 
ness.' 

"  With  tears,  starting  in  his  eyes,  he  said,  '  Papa,  I 
went  to  him  first ;  I  knew  that  except  he  was  reconciled, 
I  could  do  nothing ;'  and  with  tears  fast  rolling  down 
his  cheeks  he  added,  '  I  hope, — I  hope  he  has  forgiven 
me,  and  now  I  am  happy !'  I  never  had  occasion  to 
look  at  him  again  with  a  shade  of  disapprobation." — 
Cheever*8  Anecdotes. 

REDEMPTION. 

"  Christ  is  a  Redeemer  indeed,  both  the  purchaser 
and  the  price." — Henri/. 

In  nature  we  see  God  as  a  God  around  us ;  in  provi- 
dence we  behold  him  as  a  God  above  us ;  in  the  law  he 
is  a  God  against  us;  but  in  Redemption — in  Jesus — we 
behold  him  as  God  with  us. 

God  repented,  it  is  said,  that  he  had  made  man;  but 
we  never  find  that  he  repented  he  had  redeemed  man. 

"The  redemption  of  the  world,  say  the  Socinians, 
was  too  great  a  work  for  any  mere  man;  and  so  say  I." 

r-R.  mil 

"A  WORD  from  the  mouth  of  goodness  inspired  the 
dust  of  men's  bodies  with  a  living  soul ;  but  the  blood 
of  his  Son  must  be  shed  to  lay  the  foundation  of  our 
renewed  happiness.  In  the  first,  heaven  did  speak,  and 
the  earth  was  formed;  in  the  second,  heaven  itself  must 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  335 

sink  to  the  earth,  and  be  clothed  with  dusty  earth  to 
reduce  man's  dust  to  its  original  state.  This  was  a  more 
expensive  goodness  than  was  laid  out  in  creation.  For 
the  effecting  of  this,  God  parts  with  his  dearest  treasure, 
his  choicest  glory.  For  this  God  must  be  made  man, 
eternity  must  suffer  death,  the  Lord  of  angels  must  weep 
in  a  cradle,  and  the  Creator  of  the  world  must  hang 
like  a  slave.  He  must  be  in  a  manger  in  Bethlehem, 
and  die  upon  a  cross  on  Calvary.  Unspotted  righteous- 
ness must  be  made  sin,  and  unblemished  blessedness 
must  be  made  a  curse.  He  was  at  no  other  expense 
than  the  breath  of  his  mouth  to  form  man,  but  his  broken 
nature  cannot  be  healed  without  the  invaluable  medicine 
of  the  blood  of  God.  View  Christ  in  the  womb,  and  in 
the  manger,  in  his  weary  steps  and  hungry  watchings, 
in  his  prostrations  in  the  garden,  and  in  his  bloody 
sweats ;  view  his  head  pierced  with  a  crown  of  thorns ; 
view  him  in  his  march  to  Calvary,  and  his  elevation  on 
the  painful  cross,  with  his  head  hanging  down,  and  his 
side  streaming  with  blood;  view  him  pelted  with  the 
scoffs  of  the  governors,  with  the  insults  of  the  rabble, 
and  see  in  all  this  what  cost  goodness  was  at  for  man's 
redemption.  In  creation  his  power  made  the  sun  to 
shine  upon  us,  and  in  redemption  his  mercy  sent  a  Son 
to  die  for  us." — Charnoeh. 

The  gold  ring. — "  Once  there  was  a  deaf  and  dumb 
boy,  who  was  taught  his  task  by  a  kind  friend.  This 
kind  lady  could  speak  to  him  only  by  signs  and  pictures. 
She  drew  upon  a  paper  a  picture  of  a  great  crowd  of 
people,  old  and  young,  standing  near  a  wide,  deep  pit, 
out  of  which  smoke  and  flames  were  issuing.  She  then 
drew  the  figure  of  One  who  came  down  from  heaven ; 


336  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

and  this  was  to  represent  Jesus  the  Son  of  God.  She 
explained  to  the  boy  that  when  this  person  came,  he 
asked  God  not  to  throw  the  people  into  the  pit,  if  he 
himself  agreed  to  be  nailed  to  a  cross  for  them;  and 
how  as  soon  as  he  bowed  his  head  on  the  cross  and  died, 
the  pit  was  shut  up,  and  the  people  saved !  The  deaf 
and  dumb  boy  wondered  much :  but  he  made  signs  that 
the  person  who  died  on  the  cross  was  but  One,  and  the 
crowd  very  many.  How  could  God  be  content  to  take 
One  for  so  many  ?  The  lady  took  off  her  gold  ring  and 
then  put  beside  it  a  great  heap  of  withered  leaves  of 
flowers,  and  asked  the  boy  which  was  the  best,  *  the  one 
gold  ring,  or  the  many,  many  dry  leaves  V  The  boy 
clapped  his  hands  with  delight,  and  spelt  the  ^One!  one!' 
And  then  to  show  that  he  knew  what  this  meant,  and 
that  Jesus  was  the  One,  who  was  worth  all  the  rest,  he 
ran  and  got  his  letters,  and  looking  up,  spelt  the  words 
'good,  good  One!'  He  had  learned  that  day,  dear 
children,  that  Jesus  alone  had  saved  them  all,  and  he 
stood  wondering  at  his  love." — Rev.  A.  A.  Bonar. 

"  Nae  man  could  ha'  done  it,  and  nae  man  would  ha' 
done  it,"  was  the  striking  expression  of  an  old  Scotch 
woman,  when  speaking  on  the  subject  to  a  fellow-traveler 
on  the  coach. 

The  grateful  slave-girl. — In  one  of  the  African 
slave  marts,  a  Christian  gentleman  went  one  day,  think- 
ing he  would  go  to  see  if  he  could  do  any  good.  He  was 
much  struck  with  the  light-heartedness  of  most  of  the 
slaves  ;  but  amongst  them  he  beheld  one  young  woman 
overwhelmed  with  tears.  So  profuse  was  her  grief,  that 
she  seemed  scarcely  able  to  lift  herself  up,  but  hid  her 
face  in  her  hands,  evidently  in  the  deepest  sorrow.     He 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  33T 

went  near  and  spoke  to  her  very  kindly, — inquiring  the 
cause  of  her  deep  distress,  which  seemed  such  a  con- 
trast to  the  apparent  indifference  of  most  in  the  market. 
"  Oh,"  said  she,  "  I  don't  know  who  will  buy  me — what 
will  bscome  of  me.  I  have  been  brought  up  kindly  and 
tenderly — and  what  if  I  fall  into  the  hands  of  some  rough 
master !"  The  gentleman's  heart  was  overwhelmed. 
He  retired.  He  asked  her  price.  He  obtained  her 
freedom.  He  went  straight  to  her,  and  placed  it  in  her 
hands.  The  poor  girl  was  struck  dumb  with  amaze- 
ment. She  could  scarcely  believe  herself  free,  but 
thought,  "  Here  is  my  new  master  !"  The  kind  man  left 
the  place,  and  bid  her  go  back  to  her  home  in  peace. 
But  she,  to  his  surprise,  darted  after  him,  crying — "  No, 
no, — he  has  redeemed  me,  he  has  redeemed  me.  Will 
you  let  me  be  your  servant  ?"  What  a  beautiful  illus- 
tration this  incident  presents  of  the  gratitude  redeemed 
sinners  should  feel  to  their  Redeemer  !  "0  Lord,  truly 
I  am  thy  servant,  I  am  thy  servant,  and  the  son  of  thine 
handmaid;  Thou  hast  loosed  my  bonds." — (Psalm  cxvi. 
16.) 

REFORMATION  ALONE  CANNOT  SAVE. 

— •  As  cutting  off  the  tops  of  weeds  in  a  garden,  does 
not  destroy  them,  though  it  may  make  the  garden  look 
clean  and  tidy  for  a  while.  The  next  shower  of  rain 
will  make  the  cheat  appear. 

A  snake  may  change  its  skin,  but  yet  preserve  its 
sting. 

"  It  thou  art  not  born  again,  all  thy  outward  reforma- 
tion is  nought  in  the  sight  of  God ;  thou  hast  shut  the 
door,  but  the  thief  is  still  in  the  house." — Boston. 

29 


338  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

"  Human  nature  is  like  a  bad  clock  ;  it  may  point  to 
the  right  time  now  and  then,  or  be  made  to  strike  the 
hours,  but  its  inward  frame  is  all  wrong.  Striving 
against  nature,  by  our  own  eiForts,  is  like  holding  a 
weathercock  by  the  hand ;  as  *soon  as  the  force  is  re- 
moved, it  will  veer  with  the  wind." 

"  Coleridge  one  day,  when  some  one  was  enlarging 
on  the  tendency  of  some  good  scheme  to  regenerate  the 
world,  threw  a  little  thistle-down  into  the  air,  which  he 
happened  to  see  by  the  road-side,  and  said,  '  The  ten- 
dency of  this  thistle-down  is  towards  China  !  but  I  know, 
with  assured  certainty,  it  will  never  get  there — nay,  it  is 
more  than  probable  that  after  sundry  eddyings  and 
gyrations  up  and  down,  backwards  and  forwards,  it  will 
be  found  somewhere  near  the  place  where  it  grew.  Such 
is  the  history  of  the  grand  schemes  of  ameliorating  man- 
kind apart  from  Divine  power  !" 

REPENTANCE. 

— "  That  which  a  fool  does  at  the  end,  and  a  wise  man 
at  the  beginning." — Spanish  Proverb. 

"  Evangelical    repentance   is   the    grant   of   the 
Father  (Acts  xi.  18),  the  gift  of  the  Son  (Acts  v.  31),   ^ 
and  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  (Zech.  xii.  10).     Man 
is  not  drawn  to  repentance  so  much  by  a  sense  of  sin  as 
he  is  by  a  hope  of  pardon." — Scraggs. 

"  Real  repentance  consists  in  the  heart  being  broken 
for  sin  and  broken  from  sin." 

"  Some  sinners  repent  with  an  unbroken  heart. 
They  are  sorry ^  and  yet  go  on  as  did  Pilate  and  Herod." 
— Nevins. 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  339 

"  A  SINNER  must  come  to  himself,  before  ever  lie  will 
come  to  Christ." — Ihid. 

"  Repentance  is  the  act  of  Christian  men,  repining 
is  the  act  of  carnal  men." — W.  Seeker. 

"  Repentance  begins  in  the  humiliation  of  the  heart, 
and  ends  in  the  reformation  of  the  life.  Though  we 
want  power  to  repent,  yet  we  do  not  want  means  to  re- 
pent, nor  power  to  use  those  means He  who 

repents  of  sin  as   sin,  doth  implicitly  repent  of  all  sin. 

Let  not  sinful  pleasure  prevent  godly  sorrow If 

we  think  amiss  of  Christ,  we  shall  never  believe ;  if  we 
think  well  of  sin,  we  shall  never  repent.  If  we  put  off 
our  repentance  another  day,  we  have  a  day  more  to  re- 
pent of,  and  a  day  less  to  repent  in.  '  Godly  sorrow' 
(2  Cor.  vii.  10)  is  the  sorrow  of  love,  the  melting  of  the 
heart ;  love  is  the  pain  and  pleasure  of  a  mourning  heart." 
— Mason. 

"  Let  none  defer  repentance  to  another  day ;  he  that 
hath  promised  pardon  on  our  repentance  hath  not 
promised  life  till  we  repent." — Quarles. 

"  You  CANNOT  repent  too  soon,  because  you  know  not 
how  soon  it  may  be  too  late." — T.  Fuller. 

"Repentance  without  amendment  is  like  contin- 
ual pumping  in  a  ship,  without  stopping  the  leaks." — 
Palmer. 

"  There  is  no  going  to  the  Fair  Haven  of  glory  with- 
out sailing  through  the  narrow  strait  of  repentance." — 
Dyer. 

"  The  way  to  heaven  is  by  Weeping  Cross." 

"  I  BELIEVE  that  it  is  in  the  exercise  of  filial  repent- 
ance, that  God  gives  us  filial  views  of  our  privileges."— 
J.  H.  Evans. 


340  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

"He  that  repents  every  day  for  the  sins  of  every 
day,  when  he  comes  to  die  will  have  the  sin  but  of  one 
day  to  repent  of.  Even  reckonings  make  long  friends.'** 
P.  Henry. 

"  Repentance  is  not  merely  an  act  but  a  habit.  It 
consists  in  a  total  change  in  the  tone  and  character  of  a 
man.  It  is  a  turning  away  from  all  sin,  upon  the  set- 
tled conviction  of  the  understanding  that  it  is  wrong, — 
that  it  is  opposed  to  the  holy  nature  and  righteous  law 
of  God.  Repentance  is  a  holy  determination  of  the 
will — a  holy  bias  of  the  affections — a  hatred  of  iniquity 
— a  humble  mind — a  tender  conscience — a  contrite  spirit 
— a  habit  of  penitential  sorrow — ^because  we  have  sinned 
against  the  Most  High  God.  Repentance  implies  all 
this." — Cecil 

"Rend  your  hearts  and  not  your  garments" 
(Joel  ii.  13). — "  God  who  is  truth  itself  standeth  in  ex- 
treme opposition  to  all  that  is  feigned  and  counterfeit. 
An  alms  with  a  trumpet,  a  fast  with  a  sour  face,  devo- 
tion that  devoureth  widows'  houses,  do  more  provoke 
him  to  wrath  than  those  vices  which  these  outward  for- 
malities seem  to  cry  down.  Nothing  is  so  distasteful  to 
him  as  a  compounded  Christian,  made  up  of  a  bended 
knee  and  a  stiff  neck ;  of  an  attentive  ear  and  a  hollow 
heart ;  of  a  pale  countenance  and  a  rebellious  spirit ; 
of  fasting  and  oppression,  of  hearing  and  deceit;  of 
cringes,  bowings,  flatteries,  and  real  disobedience.  Ab- 
salom's vow,  Jehu's  sacrifices,  Simon  Magus'  repent- 
ance, Ahab's  fast,  his  soul  hateth." — Farindon. 

Repentance  and  faith. — "  It  must  be  reckoned  a 
settled  point,"  says  Calvin,  "that  repentance  not  only 
immediately  follows  upon  faith,  but  springs  out  of  it.  .  . 


ILLUSTHATIVE    GATHERINGS.  341 

They  who  think  that  repentance  goes  before  faith,  in- 
stead of  flowing  from  or  being  produced  by  it,  as  fruit 
from  a  tree,  have  never  understood  its  nature;"  and  Dr. 
Colquhoun  remarks,  "  Saving  faith  is  the  mean  of  true 
repentance ;  and  this  repentance  is  not  the  mean  but  the 
end  of  the  faith." 

"  Repentance  being  often  put  before  faith  simply  im- 
plies that  there  must  be  a  turning  from  what  is  false  in 
order  to  the  reception  of  what  is  true.  If  I  would  turn 
my  face  to  the  north,  I  must  turn  it  from  the  south,  yet 
I  should  not  think  of  calling  the  one  of  these  prepara- 
tory to  the  other.  If  I  want  to  get  quit  of  the  darkness 
I  must  let  in  the  light ;  but  I  should  not  say  that  the 
getting  quit  of  the  darkness  is  a  preparation  for  receiv- 
ing the  light.  These  must  in  the  nature  of  things  go 
together." 

A  DEGREE  of  repentance  seems  to  precede  faith  in 
order  of  nature,  if  not  of  time,  because  a  sight  of  the 
evil  of  sin  is  necessary  to  make  salvation  desirable,  but 
then  a  sight  of  Christ  makes  sin  more  odious ;  repent- 
ance has  therefore  been  beautifully  called  ''  a  tear  dropt 
from  the  eye  of  faith." 

Repentance  a  turning. — Sin  is  an  aversion  from 
God,  and  conversion  to  the  world ;  repentance,  therefore, 
must  shake  off  the  world  and  embrace  "God.  Nazianzen 
sets  it  forth  in  a  very  fit  resemblance,  comparing  the 
soul  to  a  pair  of  writing  tables,  out  of  which  must  be 
washed  whatsoever  was  written  with  sin,  and  instead 
thereof  must  be  entered  the  writing  of  grace ;  both 
these  are  necessary  in  true  repentance.  God  hath  dedi- 
cated both  parts  in  his  own  repentance,  as  when  he  re- 
pented of  the  evil  intended  against  us.  He  doth  not 
29  » 


342  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

only  give  over  to  hate  us,  but  also  he  doth  embrace  us 
with  love.  Even  so  when  we  repent  of  our  sins  against 
God,  we  must  not  only  cease  to  hate  him  but  begin  to 
love  him  also. 

Danger  of  late  repentance. — "  It  is  an  exorbitant 
course  while  the  ship  is  sound,  the  tackling  sure,  the 
pilot  well,  the  sailors  strong,  the  gale  favorable,  and  the 
sea  calm,  to  lie  idle  at  Rhodes,  carding,  diceing,  drinking, 
losing  seasonable  weather ;  and  when  the  ship  leaks,  the 
pilot  is  sick,  the  mariners  faint,  the  storm  boisterous,  and 
the  sea  tumultuous,  then  to  launch  forth  and  hoist  up 
sail  for  a  voyage  into  far  countries.  And  yet,  such  is 
even  the  skill  of  evening  repenters,  who,  though  in  the 
morning  of  youth  and  soundness  of  health  and  perfect 
use  of  reason,  cannot  resolve  to  weigh  the  anchor  and 
cut  the  cable  that  withdraws  them  from  seeking  Christ ; 
nevertheless,  they  feed  themselves  with  a  strong  persua- 
sion, that  when  their  wits  are  distracted,  their  senses  as- 
tonished, all  the  powers  of  the  mind  and  parts  of  the 
body  distempered,  then,  forsooth,  they  think  to  leap  into 
heaven  with  a  ^  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  me,'  in  their 
mouths,  to  become  saints  at  their  death,  however  they 
have  demeaned  themselves  like  devils  all  their  life  be- 
fore. ' ' — Spencer. 

"That  carrier' must  needs  be  taken  for  a  fool,  who, 
having  to  go  a  far  and  foul  journey,  will  lay  the  heaviest 
pack  upon  the  weakest  horse.  So  that  Christian  cannot 
be  held  any  of  the  wisest,  that  lays  the  great  load  of 
repentance  upon  his  faint  and  feeble  dotage,  whereas  in 
the  chiefest  strength  of  his  youth,  he  cannot  lift  it  easily, 
but  is  ready  to  stagger  under  it." — Ihid. 

The  angel  and  the  hermit. — "  A  hermit  was  con- 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHEEINGS.  343 

ducted  by  an  angel  into  a  wood,  where  he  saw  an  old 
man  cutting  down  boughs  to  make  up  a  burden.  When 
it  was  large,  he  tied  it  up,  and  attempted  to  lift  it  on  his 
shoulders  and  carry  it  away ;  but  finding  it  very  heavy, 
he  laid  it  down  again,  cut  more  wood  and  heaped  it  on, 
and  then  tried  again  to  carry  it  off.  This  he  repeated 
several  times,  always  adding  something  to  the  load,  after 
trying  in  vain  to  raise  it  from  the  ground.  In  the  mean 
time,  the  hermit,  astonished  at  the  old  man's  folly,  de- 
sired the  angel  to  explain  what  this  meant.  ■  You  be- 
hold,' said  he,  ^in  this  foolish  old  man,  an  exact  repre- 
sentation of  those  who,  being  made  sensible  of  the  bur- 
den of  their  sins,  resolve  to  repent,  but  soon  grow  weary, 
and  instead  of  lessening  their  burden,  increase  it  every 
day.  At  each  trial  they  find  the  task  heavier  than  it 
was  before,  and  so  put  it  off  a  little  longer,  in  the  vain 
hope  that  they  will  by-and-by  be  more  able  to  accomplish 
it.  Thus  they  go  on  adding  to  their  burden,  till  it  grows 
too  heavy  to  be  borne,  and  then  in  despair  of  God's 
mercy,  and  with  their  sins  unrepented  of,  they  lie  down 
and  die.  Turn  again,  my  son,  and  behold  the  end  of 
the  old  man,  whom  thou  sawest  heaping  up  a  load  of 
boughs.'  The  hermit  looked,  and  saw  him  in  vain  at- 
tempting to  remove  the  pile,  which  was  now  accumulated 
far  beyond  his  strength  to  raise.  His  feeble  limbs  tot- 
tered over  their  burden ;  the  poor  remains  of  his  strength 
were  fast  ebbing  away ;  the  darkness  of  death  was  gath- 
ering around  him,  and  after  a  convulsive  and  impotent 
attempt  to  lift  the  pile,  he  fell  down  and  expired." — 
Christian  Treasury. 

Repent  now. — "  I  once  entered  a  room  where  a  be- 
loved  youth  was  dying;    and  having  directed  him   to 


344  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

Jesus  as  his  only  refuge,  and  urged  him  to  give  his  heart 
to  God,  I  asked,  ^  And  what  shall  I  tell  your  young  com- 
panions?' 'Tell  them,'  said  he  in  effect,  and  with  a 
look  and  tone  of  voice  which  I  shall  not  attempt  to  de- 
scribe, '  tell  them  to  repent,  and  give  their  hearts  to  their 
Saviour ;  tell  them  to  seek  religion  now — a  death-hed  is 
a  poor  place  to  prepare  for  Eternity.''' — Christian 
Treasury. 

REPROVING  SIN. 

"  If  you  cannot  bear  to  be  handled,  it  is  a  proof  you 
have  ugly  sores  which  are  not  the  less  dangerous  for 
being  skinned  over." — Henry. 

"  The  reproof  of  a  good  man  resembles  fuller's 
earth.  It  not  only  removes  the  spots  of  our  character, 
but  it  rubs  off  when  it  is  dry  and  has  answered  its  pur- 
pose." 

"  Wine  and  oil  are  both  required  to  be  poured  in  at 
their  several  seasons." — Trapp. 

"  The  oil  in  which  the  nail  is  dipped  makes  it  drive 
the  easier,  which- otherwise  might  have  rived  the  board." 
— G-urnall. 

"Before  thou  reprehend  another,  take  heed  thou 
art  not  culpable  in  what  thou  goest  about  to  repre- 
hend. He  that  cleanses  a  blot  with  blurred  fingers 
makes  a  greater  blot.  Even  the  candle-snuffers  of  the 
sanctuary  were  of  pure  gold.  Exod.  xxxvii.  23." — 
Quarles. 

"  When  w^e  reprove  our  brother,  we  must  be  careful 
we  violate  not  his  credit.  So  Christ  only  looked  upon 
Peter  :  lest,  if  he  had  spoken  to  him,  the  Jews  overhear- 
ing, might  have  reviled  and  upbraided  Peter  with  hia 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  345 

treachery  to  his  Master.  So  also  at  supper  when  he 
reproved  Judas,  he  spake  in  general  terms — *  One  of 
you.'  " — P.  H^nry. 

"  To  REPROVE  a  brother  is  like  as  when  he  has  fallen, 
to  help  hijn  up  again ;  when  he  is  wounded,  to  help  to 
cure  him-;  when  he  hath  broken  a  bone,  to  help  to  set 
it ;  when  he  is  out  of  the  way,  to  put  him  into  it ; 
when  he  is  fallen  into  the  fire,  to  pluck  him  out ;  when 
he  hath  contracted  defilement,  to  cleanse  him." — Ihid. 

"  To  REMOVE  small  faults  with  great  vehemence,  is 
always  as  ridiculous  and  may  oftentimes  prove  as  de- 
structive a  piece  of  officiousness  as  his  who  took  up  a 
huge  beetle  and  struck  with  all  his  might  only  to  kill  a 
fly,  which  he  saw  sticking  on  his  friend's  forehead." — 
Hopkins. 

Even  sin  may  be  sinfully  reproved. 

The  best  of  men  must  sometimes  be  warned  against 
the  worst  of  faults. 

"  Considering  how  many  difiiculties  a  friend  has  to 
surmount  before  he  can  bring  himself  to  reprove  me,  I 
ought  to  be  very  much  obliged  to  him." — Foster. 

The  Rev.  Henry  Martyn  used  to  lay  down  this  rule 
for  himself,  to  know  when  to  speak  and  when  to  abstain 
from  speaking,  in  reproving  sin  ; — when  he  felt  some  love 
to  the  person,  and  hatred  to  the  sin  ;  and  as  love  is  most 
genuine  when  the  heart  is  abased,  he  resolved  not  to 
speak  (if  he  could  consistently  abstain)  unless  he  felt 
some  compunction  in  himself. 

The  Rev.  R.  Cecil's  conversion  was  greatly  owing 
to  the  silent  and  gentle  reproof  of  his  father's  servant. 
"My  father,"  he  afterwards  said,  in  describing  it,  "had 
a  religious   servant.      I  frequently  cursed  and  reviled 


346  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

him.  He  would  only  smile  on  me.  That  went  to  my 
heart.  I  felt  that  he  looked  on  me  as  a  deluded  creature. 
I  felt  that  he  thought  he  had  something  which  I  knew 
not  how  to  value,  and  that  he  was  therefore  greatly  my 
superior.  I  felt  there  was  a  real  dignity  in  h^^  conduct, 
it  made  me  appear  little  even  in  my  own  eyes.  If  he 
had  condescended  to  argue  with  me,  I  could  have  cut 
some  figure,  at  least  by  comparison,  wretched  as  it  would 
have  been.  He  drew  me  once  to  hear  Mr.  Whitefield. 
I  was  seventeen  or  eighteen  years  old.  It  had  no  sort 
of  religious  effect  on  me,  nor  had  the  preaching  of  any 
man  in  my  unconverted  state.  My  reh^ion  began  in 
contemplation,  yet  I  conceived  a  high  reverence  for  Mr. 
Whitefield." 

"The  grace  of  God,"  says  the  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt, 
"triumphed  over  all  opposition,  the  seed  sown  in  tears 
by  his  inestimable  mother,  though  long  buried,  now 
burst  into  life,  and  shot  forth  with  vigor ;  and  he  became 
a  preacher  of  that  truth  which  once  he  laboured  to 
destroy." 

Mr.  Cecil  says  in  another  place:  "Sympathy  is  a 
powerful  engine  with  a  mother.  My  mother  would  talk 
with  me,  and,  weep  as  she  talked.  I  flung  out  of  the 
house,  with  an  oath,  but  wept  too  when  I  got  into  the 
strejBt." 

"It  is  a  great  art  in  the  Christian  life  to  learn  to  he 
silmt.  Under  oppositions,  rebukes,  injuries,  still  to  be 
silent.  It  is  better  to  say  nothing,  than  to  say  it  in  an 
excited  or  angry  manner,  even  if  the  occasion  should 
seem  to  justify  a  degree  of  anger.  By  remaining  silent, 
the  mind  is  enabled  to  collect  itself,  and  to  call  upon 
God  in  secret  aspirations  of  prayer.     And  thus  you  will 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.         847 

speak  to  tlie  honor  of  your  holy  profession,  as  well  as 
to  the  good  of  those  who  have  injured  you,  when  you 
speak  from  G-od^ — Upham, 

The  Rev.  G.  Whitefield  and  a  pious  companion  were 
one  night  staying  at  a  public-house,  and  were  much  an- 
noyed by  a  set  of  noisy  gamblers  in  the  room  adjoining 
that  in  which  they  slept.  Their  noisy,  clamorous,  and 
horrid  blasphemies  so  excited  Whitefield's  abhorrence, 
that  he  resolved  to  go  and  speak  to  them.  He  did  so, 
but  his  words  fell  with  apparently  no  effect.  Returning, 
he  laid  down  to  sleep.  His  companion  (who  had  tried 
to  persuade  him  not  to  go)  asked,  "  Well,  what  did  you 
get?"  ""A  soft  pillow,''  was  the  reply,  and  soon  he  fell 
asleep. 

"Answer  a  fool  according  to  his  folly"  (Prov. 
xxvi.  5). — A  skillful  answer  is  recorded  of  Mr.  Wesley, 
to  a  proud  and  angry  gentleman,  who  was  a  bitter  oppo- 
nent of  his  work.  The  man  seeing  Mr.  Wesley  coming 
towards  him  in  the  street,  walked  on  with  an  air  of  con- 
tempt, without  leaving  the  least  way  for  Mr.  Wesley  to 
pass,  and  rudely  remarked  as  they  met,  "  I  never  give 
way  to  fools."  Mr.  Wesley,  without  further  noticing 
the  rudeness,  adroitly  stepped  into  the  road  and  replied, 
'''' I  always  do^'  and  so  passed  on. 

REST. 

"  He  that  would  rest,  must  work." 

"Rest  is  for  heaven,  toil  is  for  earth." — We  often 
speakof  being  "settled  in  Hfe;"  we  might  as  well  think 
of  casting  anchor  in  the  midst  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean ; 
or  talk  of  the  permanent  situation  of  a  stone  that  is 
rolling  down-hill ! 


848  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

It  has  been  well  said,  "  There  Avill  be  no  Monday  in 
heaven,  and  we  shall  not  have  to  begin  the  old  round  of 
toil  afresh,  as  soon  as  the  Sabbath's  peace  is  past.  There 
will  be  an  everlasting  Sabbath." 

Rest  and  be  thankful. — "  There  is  a  pass  in  Scot- 
land called  Glencroe,  which  supplies  a  beautiful  illustra- 
tion of  what  heaven  will  be  to  the  man  who  comes  to 
Christ.  The  road  through  Glencroe  carries  the  trav- 
eler up  a  long  and  steep  ascent  with  many  a  winding  and 
many  a  little  turn  in  its  course.  But  when  the  top  of 
the  pass  is  reached,  a  stone  is  seen  by  the  wayside,  with 
these  simple  words  engraven  on  it,  ^  Rest  and  he  thank- 
fuV  Reader,  these  words  describe  the  feelings  with 
which  every  one  who  comes  to  Christ,  will  at  length 
enter  heaven.  The  summit  of  the  narrow  way  will  be 
won.  We  shall  cease  from  our  wearying  journeying, 
and  sit  down  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  We  shall  look 
back  over  all  the  way  of  life  with  thankfulness,  and  see 
the  perfect  wisdom  of  every  little  winding  and  turn  in 
the  steep  ascent  by  which  we  were  led.  We  shall  forget 
the  toils  of  the  upward  journey  to  the  glorious  rest. 
Here  in  this  world,  our  sense  of  rest  in  Christ  at  the 
best  is  feeble  and  partial.  '  But  when  that  which  is  per- 
fect is  come,  that  which  is  in  part  shall  be  done  away.' 
Thanks  be  unto  God,  a  day  is  coming  when  believers 
shall  rest  perfectly  and  be  thankful." — Rev.  J".  (7. 
Ryle. 

"  Rest  how  sweet  the  sound  !  It  is  melody  to  my 
ears !  It  lies  as  a  reviving  cordial  at  my  heart,  and 
from  thence  sends  forth  lively  spirits,  which  beat  through 
all  the  pulses  of  my  soul !  Rest,  not  as  the  stone  that 
rests  on  the  earth,  nor  as  this  flesh  shall  rest  in  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  34^ 

grave,  nor  such  a  rest  as  the  carnal  world  desires.  O 
blessed  rest !  when  we  rest  not  day  and  night  saying, 
Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord  God  Almighty  !  when  we  shall 
rest  from  sin,  but  not  from  worship,  from  suffering  and 
sorrow,  but  not  from  joy  !  0  blessed  day,  when  I  shall 
rest  with  God !  when  I  shall  rest  in  the  bosom  of  my 
Lord !  when  I  shall  rest  in  knowing,  loving,  rejoicing, 
and  praising  !  when  my  perfect  soul  and  body  shall  to- 
gether perfectly  enjoy  the  most  perfect  God  !  when  God, 
who  is  love  itself,  shall  perfectly  love  me,  and  rest  in 
his  love  to  me,  as  I  shall  rest  in  my  love  to  him,  and  re- 
joice over  me  with  joy,  and  joy  over  me  with  singing,  as 
I  shall  rejoice  in  him  !" — Baxter. 

Augustine's  words  are  weighty, — ''  Lord,  thou  madest 
us  for  thyself,  and  we  can  find  no  rest  till  we  find  rest 
in  thee." 

"  The  Princess  Elizabeth  (daughter  of  Charles  I.) 
lies  buried  in  Newport  Church,  in  the  Isle  of  Wight. 
A  marble  monument,  erected  by  our  gracious  Queen 
Victoria,  records  in  a  touching  way  the  manner  of  her 
death.  She  languished  in  Carisbrook  Castle  during  the 
unhappy  Commonwealth  wars,  a  prisoner,  alone,  and 
separated  from  all  the  companions  of  her  youth,  until 
death  set  her  free.  She  was  found  dead  one  day  with 
her  head  leaning  on  her  Bible,  and  the  Bible  open  at  the 
words,  '  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy- 
laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.'  The  monument  in  New- 
port Church  records  this  fact.  It  consists  of  a  female 
figure  reclining  her  head  on  a  marble  book,  with  the  text 
already  quoted  engraven  on  the  book.  Think,  reader, 
what  a  sermon  in  stone  that  monument  preaches  !  think 
what  a  standing  memorial  it  affords  of  the  utter  inability 
30 


350  '    ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

of  rank  and  high  birth  to  confer  certain  happiness ! 
think  what  a  testimony  it  bears  to  the  lesson  before  you 
this  day, — the  mighty  lesson  that  there  is  no  true  rest 
for  any  one  excepting  in  Christ !  Happy  will  it  be  for 
your  soul  if  that  lesson  is  never  forgotten  !" — Rev.  J, 
a  Ryle. 

RESTORATION  after  spiritual  decay. 

"  The  true  Christian  may  gain  some  advantage  by  his 
very  falls ;  as  husbandmen  make  use  of  the  thorns  and 
briers  that  grow  in  their  field,  to  stop  the  gaps  and 
strengthen  the  hedges  about  them.  So  should  we  improve 
our  very  sins  and  failings,  to  force  our  souls,  that  we 
lie  not  open  to  like  temptations  for  the  future." — 
Hopkins. 

Those  that  will  not  return  to  the  duties  they  have 
neglected,  cannot  expect  to  return  to  the  comforts  they 
have  lost. 

"  They  say  of  the  loadstone  (that  wonder  in  nature) 
when  either  by  carelessness  in  keeping  it,  or  by  some  ac- 
cident, it  loses  its  virtue,  yet  by  laying  it  some  good 
space  of  time  in  the  filings  of  steel  it  will  again  recover 
its  virtues :  when  the  spirit  of  a  Christian,  by  not  look- 
ing well  to  it,  loses  of  its  heavenly  heat  and  liveliness, 
the  way  of  recovery  is  by  laying  it  asteep  in  this  so 
warming  and  quickening  meditation." — -Banew. 

•'  Let  them  not  turn  again  to  folly"  (Ps.  Ixxxv. 
8). — Bunyan  in  the  ''Holy  War,"  describing  the  re- 
covery of  a  backsliding  child  of  God,  beautifully  repre- 
sents the  key  of  the  city  of  Mansoul  as  at  that  crisis  of 
recovery  committed  to  Godly  Fear ;   and  adds,  that  he 


ILLUSTKATIVE   GATHERINGS.  351 

sometimes  thought  that  the  key  of  the  town  should  be 
always  entrusted  to  his  care. 

RESURRECTION. 

"  The  heathen  sorrowed  without  hope.  A  shattered 
pillar ;  a  ship  gone  to  pieces  ;  a  race  lost ;  a  harp  lying 
on  the  ground  with  snapped  strings,  with  all  its  music 
lost ;  a  flower-bud  crushed  with  all  its  fragrance  in  it ; — 
these  were  the  sad  utterances  of  their  hopeless  grief. 
The  thought  that  death  was  the  gate  of  life  came  not  in 
to  cheer  the  parting  or  brighten  the  sepulchre.  The 
truth  that  the  grave  was  the  soil,  and  the  body  the  seed 
sown  by  God's  hand,  to  call  out  all  the  latent  life ;  that 
the  race  was  not  lost,  but  only  a  little  earlier  won ;  that 
the  column  was  not  destroyed,  but  transferred  to  another 
building  and  another  city  to  be  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of 
God ;  that  the  bud  was  not  crushed,  but  transplanted,  for 
fuller  expansion,  and  with  all  its  odor  unexhaled  and  un- 
impaired, to  a  kindlier  soil  and  air ;  that  the  harp  was 
not  broken,  nor  its  music  spoilt  and  lost,  but  handed  up 
to  a  truer  minstrel,  who  with  a  finer  touch  and  heaven- 
lier  skill  will  bring  out  all  the  rich  compass  of  its  hidden 
music,  which  man  would  not  have  appreciated,  and  which 
earth  would  but  have  spoiled ; — these  were  things  which 
had  no  place  in  their  theology,  hardly  in  their  dreams. 
They  sorrowed  as  those  who  had  no  hope." 

But  to  the  believer — "That  which  seems  to  us  the 
destruction  of  all  fruitfulness  is  its  true  paternity. 
That  which  seems  to  dissolve  all  excellence,  to  wither  up 
all  beauty,  to  scatter  all  sweetness,  and  to  mar  all  powers 
of  reproduction,  is  the  very  thing  by  w^hich  these  are  led 
forth,  from  inactivity  and  inertness,  to  do  their  work 


352  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

upon  the  earth,  and  to  fulfill  the  end  of  their  being. 
Death,  which  is  in  itself  an  evil  and  a  penalty,  is  yet 
God's  instrument  for  opening  prisons,  and  unloosing 
chains,  and  disengaging  the  higher  vitalities  and  perfec- 
tions of  being It  is  by  means  of  darkness  that 

we  reach  the  light.  It  is  by  falling  that  we  rise ;  by 
going  down  into  the  depths  of  the  valley,  that  we  find 
our  way  up  to  the  mountains  of  immortality  beyond.  It 
is  through  winter  that  we  pass  into  spring.  It  is  by 
dying  that  we  are  made  to  live,  live  forever, — for  the  life 
that  is  not  reached  by  death  seems  but  half  secure, — the 
life  that  lasts,  the  life  that  is  truly  immortal  and  eternal, 
is  only  obtained  by  dying.  It  is  resurrection-life  that  is 
the  truest  as  well  as  the  highest  form  of  life ;  the  surest 
as  well  as  the  most  glorious  immortality.  It  admits  of 
no  reversal  and  no  decay." — Br.  Bonar. 

"  In  each  of  the  three  great  periods  of  the  Church 
was  exhibited  an  instance  of  one  taken  up  into  heaven, 
body  and  spirit,  as  an  encouragement  to  the  hope  of  be- 
lievers of  attaining  the  same  felicity.  Enoch  before  the 
law  was  given;  Elijah  under  the  legal  economy;  and 
Jesus  Christ  under  the  evangelical  dispensation.  And 
God,  in  conducting  these  events,  has  gradually  dis- 
closed life  and  immortality  from  the  dawning  of  the 
morning  light  to  the  full  glory  of  meridian  splendor." — • 
Hunter. 

"  I  see  no  greater  difficulty  in  believing  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead  or  the  conception  of  the  Virgin,  than 
the  creation  of  the  world.  Is  it  less  easy  to  re-produce 
a  human  body  than  it  was  to  produce  it  at  first?" — • 
Pascal. 

"  When  we  pluck  down  a  house  with  intent  to  re- 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATIIEIIINGS.  353 

build  it,  or  repair  tlie  ruins  of  it,  we  warn  the  inhabi- 
tants out  of  it,  lest  they  should  be  soiled  with  the  dust 
and  rubbish,  or  offended  with  the  noise,  and  so  for  a  time 
provide  some  other  place  for  them  ;  but  when  we  have 
new  trimmed  and  dressed  up  the  house,  then  we  bring 
them  back  to  a  better  habitation.  Thus  God,  when  he 
overturneth  this  rotten  room  of  our  flesh,  calleth  out  the 
soul  for  a  little  time,  and  lodgeth  it  with  himself  in  some 
corner  of  his  kingdom,  repaireth  the  imperfections  of 
our  bodies  against  the  resurrection ;  and  then  having 
made  them  beautiful,  yea,  glorious  and  incorruptible,  he 
doth  put  our  souls  again  into  their  acquainted  mansions." 
— Ohrysostom. 

The  Jews  call  their  synagogues  Beth  Chayim,  the 
house  of  the  living,  showing  how  they  believe  in  the 
Kesurrection. 

The  word  cemetery  is  not  less  suggestive — from  the 
Greek  xotpLfjrijptov,  the  sleeping-place. 

The  German  designation  of  their  burying-place 
also — ''  God's  acre' — brings  out  another  aspect  of  resur- 
rection truth :  "  He  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of 
the  living"  (Luke  xx.  38). 

"Looking  at  those  grassy  mounds  in  the  light  of 
this  truth,  the  eye  of  faith  sees  them  change  into  a  field 
sown  with  the  seeds  of  immortality.  Blessed  field ! 
What  flowers  shall  spring  there  !  What  a  harvest  shall 
be  gathered  there  !  In  the  neighboring  fields  '■  whatso- 
ever a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap,'  but  here 
how  great  the  difference  between  what  is  sown  amid 
mourners'  tears  and  what  shall  be  reaped  amid  angels' 
joys ;  between  the  poor  body  that  we  restore  to  the 
earth,  and  the  noble  form  that  shall  spring  from  its 
«      30  « 


354  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

ashes.  Those  who  saw  the  rolling  waves  stand  up  a 
rocky  wall ;  who  saw  the  water  of  Cana  flow  out  rich 
purple  wine;  who  saw  Lazarus'  putrid  corpse,  with 
health  glowing  on  its  cheek,  saw  nothing  to  match  the 
change  the  grave  shall  work  on  these  mouldering  bones." 
— Dr.  Guthrie. 

"Why  should  it  be  thought  incredible?"  {Acts 
xxvi.  8.) — "  I  have  stood  (says  one)  in  a  smith's  forge 
and  seen  him  put  a  rusty,  cold,  dull  piece  of  iron  into 
the  fire,  and  after  awhile  he  had  taken  the  very  same 
individual  piece  of  iron  out  of  the  fire,  hot,  bright,  and 
sparkling.  And  thus  it  is  with  our  bodies ;  they  are 
laid  down  in  the  grave,  dead,  heavy,  earthly  ;  but  at  the 
resurrection  this  mortal  shall  put  on  immortality ;  at  the 
general  conflagration,  this  dead,  heavy,  earthly  body 
shall  arise,  living,  lightsome,  glorious :  which  made  Job 
so  confident ;  *  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  &c. ;  and 
though  after  my  skin  worms  destroy  my  body,  yet  in  my 
flesh  shall  I  see  God.'  " — Spencer. 

How  SHOULD  the  SAINTS  DESIRE  IT? — "If  a  phy- 
sician should  out  of  his  art  and  skill  give  us  such  a 
potion,  that  we  should  never  hunger  nor  thirst  after  it, 
but  be  freed  also  thereby  from  all  griefs,  pains,  infirmi- 
ties, and  diseases,  how  would  one  strain  to  his  utmost  to 
buy  such  a  potion !  Yet  such  a  potion  the  Lord  hath 
freely  provided  for  us  at  the  last  day,  when  he  will  give 
us  such  a  cup  to  drink  of  as  we  shall  never  hunger, 
thirst,  or  feel  any  more  pain.  How  should  y?Q  there- 
fore long  and  desire  after  the  coming  of  Christ." — 
Sihhes. 

Throwing  rosemary  into  the  grave  at  funerals. — 
Wheatly  gives  a  very  beautiful  explanation  of  this  ancient 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  355 

custom.  It  seems  to  have  taken  its  rise  from  a  practice 
among  the  heathen  of  a  quite  different  import.  For 
they  having  no  thoughts  of  a  future  resurrection,  but 
believing  that  the  bodies  of  those  that  were  dead  would 
forever  lie  in  the  grave,  made  use  of  the  cypress  at  their 
funerals,  which  is  a  tree,  that  being  once  c^t  never 
revives,  but  dies  away.  But  Christians,  on  the  other 
side,  having  better  hopes  and  knowing  that  this  very 
body  of  their  friend,  which  they  are  now  going  solemnly 
to  commit  to  the  grave,  sliall  one  day  rise  again,  and  be 
reunited  to  his  soul,  instead  of  cypress^  distribute  rose- 
mary to  ,the  company,  which  (being  always  green  and 
flourishing  the  more  for  being  crept,  and  of  which  a 
sprig  only  being  set  in  the  ground  will  sprout  up  imme- 
diately and  branch  into  a  tree)  is  more  proper  to  express 
this  confidence  and  trust ;  a  custom  not  unlike  that  prac- 
ticed by  the  Jews,  who  as  they  went  with  a  corpse  to  the 
grave,  plucked  up  every  one  a  handful  of  grass,  to  denote 
that  their  brother  was  but  so  crept  off,  and  should  again 
spring  up  in  his  proper  season.  -^ 

RICHES,  DANGER  OF. 

— "  and  prosperity  either  kill  with  care  or  surfeit  with 
delight. ' ' — Mason. 

"  Be  not  proud  of  riches  but  afraid  of  them,  lest  they 
be  a  silver  har  to  cross  the  way  to  heaven.  You  must 
answer  for  riches,  but  riches  cannot  answer  for  you." — 
Bid. 

"  I  TAKE  HIM  to  be  the  truly  rich  man  that  lives  upon 
what  he  has,  owes  nothing,  and  is  contented ;  for  there 
is  no  determinate  sum  of  money,  nor  quantity  of  estate, 
that  can  make  a  man  rich,  since  no  man  is  truly  rich  that 


356  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

has  not  so  much  as  perfectly  satiates  his  desire  of  having 
more;  for  the  desire  of  more  is  want,  and  want  is 
poverty. ' ' — Howe. 

The  Shortest  way  to  be  rich  is  not  by  enlarging 
our  estate,  but  by  contracting  our  desires. 

A  PHILOSOPHER  has  well  said.  Though  a  man  without 
money  is  poor,  a  man  with  nothing  but  money  is  poorer 
still.  Worldly  gifts  cannot  bear  up  the  spirits  from 
fainting  and  sinking,  when  trials  and  troubles  come,  any 
more  than  headache  can  be  cured  by  a  golden  crown,  or 
toothache  with  a  chain  of  pearls.  Earthly  riches,  as 
Augustine  has  truly  said,  are  full  of  poverty. 

The  world's  notion  of  riches  is  just  about  this,  that 
a  man  who  has  $10,000  must  be  twice  as  happy  as  the 
man  who  has  $5000  ! 

"  Riches,  though  well  got,  are  yet  like  manna ;  those 
who  gathered  less,  had  no  want ;  and  those  who  gathered 
more,  found  it  to  be  trouble  and  annoyance  to  them." — 
Brookes. 

"He^was  very  rich"  [Luhe  xviii.  23). — "The  He- 
brew word  signifies  'heavy.'  For  riches  are  a  burden, 
and  they  that  will  be  rich  do  but  load  themselves  with 
thick  clay  {Hah.  ii.  6).  There  is  a  burden  of  care  in 
getting  them ;  of  fear  in  keeping  them ;  of  temptation  in 
using  them ;  of  guilt  in  abusing  them ;  of  sorrow  in  losing 
them ;  and  a  burden  of  accounts  at  last  to  be  given  up 
Concerning  them." — Henry. 

Rich  and  poor  alike  responsible. — "  I  have  often 
thought,"  said  a  Christian  gentleman,  "  that  the  differ- 
ence betwixt  my  coachman  and  myself  is  not  great — we 
are  both  stewards.  When  I  used  to  go  down  to  Ply- 
mouth, I  directed  him  to  take  an  inside  place  for  me, 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  357 

and  a  place  outside  for  himself.  He  was  used  to  the 
one,  and  I  was  used  to  the  other.  It  seemed  the  wjjl 
of  Providence  that  it  should  be  so.  We  accomplished 
the  journey  in  the  same  time  and  almost  with  equal  com- 
fort ;  each  having  the  accommodation  to  which  he  had 
been  accustomed.  So  at  the  end  of  life,  the  master  and 
servant  will  be  equally  accountable  to  him  who  is  Lord 
of  all.  The  property  will  be  all  gone,  and  the  question 
.to  each  will  be.  What  use  have  you  made  of  it?  Hand 
over  the  account.  The  chief  difference  will  be,  that  I 
shall  have  a  long  account  to  render — my  servant,  a  very 
sJiort  one." 

"A  London  merchant  wrote  down  these  four  rules 
for  his  own  guidance,  and  embodied  them  in  his  practice 
for  fifty  years.  '  If  rich,  be  not  too  joyful  in  having ; 
too  solicitous  in  keeping ;  too  anxious  in  increasing ;  nor 
too  sorrowful  in  losing.'  The  Lprd  gave  him  wealth, 
and  he  used  it  well." — Denton  s  Anecdotes. 

The  Rev.  J.  Wesley  used  to  give  three  rules  for  the 
guidance  of  his  followers,  as  to  the  use  of  money: 
"  1.  Gain  all  you  can,  without  hurting  your  soul,  your 
body,  or  your  neighbor.  2.  Save  all  you  can,  cutting 
off  every  needless  expense.  3.  Give  all  you  can.  Be 
glad  to  give  and  ready  to  distribute ;  laying  up  in  store 
for  yourselves  a  good  foundation  against  the  time  to 
come,  that  ye  may  attain  eternal  life."     (1  Tim.  vi.  19.) 

The  Rev.  Hugh  Stowell,  in  speaking  some  years 
ago  at  the  Church  Missionary  Society  meeting  remarked, 
^'  Our  Church  in  its  beautiful  and  sublime  Liturgy  taught 
us  to  pray,  not  alone  in  ^  all  time  of  tribulation,'  but 
also  'in  all  time  of  our  wealth.'  It  was  generally  sup- 
posed that  prayer  was  more  necessary  in  adversity,  and 


358  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

praise  in  prosperity ;  but  he  would  rather  reverse  this, 
a^jd  say  that  we  should  recognize  the  necessity  of 
prayer  in  prosperity  and  praise  in  adversity,  for  it 
often  happened  that  behind  the  face  of  anger  and  chas- 
tisement there  lay  a  heart  of  kindness  and  affection 
towards  us." 

All  THE  DIFFERENCE. — "Mrs.   G was  one  day 

visiting  an  aged  man,  a  friend  of  her  father,  and  one 
who  was  associated  with  him  in  early  life.  Though  dif- 
fering widely  in  sentiment,  the  two  old  men  still  felt  a 
deep  interest  in  each  other. 

"  Mr.  S had  been  one  of  those  who  run  after  the 

world  and  overtake  it.  All  that  it  can  give,  he  had  ob- 
tained. Now  he  inquired  of  the  state  of  his  friend, 
whom  he  knew  to  be  in  circumstances  of  far  less  external 
comfort  than  himself.  As  he  listened  to  the  story  of  his 
patience  in  suffering,  and  of  the  cheerfulness  with  which 
he  could  look  forward,  either  to  a  longer  pilgrimage  in 
this  world  or  to  the  hour  of  death,  his  conscience  applied 
the  unexpressed  reproach,  and  he  exclaimed,  'Yes,  yes, 
you  wonder  I  cannot  be  as  quiet  and  happy  too,  but 
think  of  the  difference,  he  is  going  to  his  treasure,  and 
I — I  must  leave  mine.'  " — Family  Treasury. 

"How  MUCH,  should  you  say,  this  estate  is  worth?'' 
said  one  friend  to  another,  as  they  were  riding  past  a 
beautiful  park.  "  I  don't  know  how  much  it  is  worth, 
was  the  answer,  "  but  I  think  I  know  what  it  cost  the 
owner."  "How  much?"  ^^ His  soul,'' — was  the  start- 
ling reply.  The  person  then  described  the  owner's  death, 
in  which  he  attributed  his  misery  at  last  to  his  love  of 
money,  which  had  often  led  him  into  fraud  and  sin. 

"There  is  that  scattereth  and  yet  increaseth; 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  359 

AND  THERE  IS  THAT  WITHHOLDETH   MORE  THAN  IS  MEET, 

BUT  IT  TENDETH  TO  POVERTY"  {Ptov.  xi.  24). — Much  had 
been  said  one  evening,  at  the  meeting  of  a  Missionary 
Society,  on  the  blessing  which  always  seems  to  rest  on 
those  who  gave  largely  towards  the  support  of  the  Chris- 
tian missions.  The  next  morning,  at  breakfast,  a  lady 
gave  the  following  account  to  one  of  the  party  who  were 
her  visitors  on  that  occasion: — 

"I  had  three  brothers,"  she  said,  "who  had  been 
brought  up  with  much  care  by  my  excellent  father  and 
mother.  They  had  endeavored  to  impress  upon  all  their 
children  the  duty  and  the  high  privilege  of  laying  by  and 
giving  even  of  their  little  store  to  the  spreading  of  the 
kingdom  of  our  blessed  Redeemer.  It  happened  that 
each  of  these  brothers  possessed  a  box,  in  which  he  was 
accustomed  to  drop  any  small  sum  of  money  that  might 
be  given  to  him.     In  the  confusion  of  moving  from  our 

residence  at to  another  house,  these  boxes  were  for 

a  time  mislaid,  and  were  long  looked  for  in  vain.  Some 
time  afterwards,  the  three  boxes  were  unexpectedly 
found ;  the  boys  were  delighted  at  the  disdjpvery  of  their 
lost  treasures,  and  determined  at  once  to  open  their  boxes. 
It  was  a  curious  circumstance  that  the  three  boxes  con- 
tained almost  the  same  sum  of  money — about  ten  pounds. 

"  My  eldest  brother  had  long  wished  to  possess  a  watch ; 
and  without  hesitation  he  instantly  appropriated  the 
contents  of  his  box  to  the  purchase  of  one. 

"My  second  brother  was  of  a  divided  mind;  he  ac- 
cordingly separated  his  money  into  two  portions — one  he 
spent  for  his  own  gratification,  the  other  portion  he  gave 
to  some  religious  society. 

"My  youngest  brother  gave  up  all;  he  reserved  no 


360  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

portion  for  his  own  self-indulgence,  but  freely  and  joy- 
fully gave  the  whole  to  the  Lord. 

"And  now,"  added  the  lady,  ''I  must  tell  you  some- 
thing of  the  after  life  of  each  of  my  brothers.  The  dis- 
positions which  were  then  shown  in  so  marked  a  way 
proved  indicative  of  the  future  course  of  each  of  these 
young  men.  The  eldest  has  been  engaged  in  many  un- 
dertakings, which  seemed  to  promise  wealth,  and  he  has 
expended  large  sums  of  money;  but  he  has  failed  in 
everything;  and  at  the  close  of  a  long  life  he  is  a  poor 
man,  and  has  been  for  some  considerable  time  dependent 
on  the  bounty  of  his  youngest  brother. 

"My  second  brother  is  not  poor;  but  he  has  never 
been  rich,  nor  satisfied  with  his  very  moderate  circum- 
stances. 

"  I  am  now  in  mourning  for  my  youngest  brother.  He 
died  lately,  leaving  100,000  pounds,  after  having  freely 
given  away  at  least  as  much  to  missions  among  the  hea- 
then, and  to  other  works  of  love.  God  prospered  him  in 
everything  that  he  undertook;  and  he  ceased  not, 
throughout  the  whole  course  of  his  life,  to  give  freely  of 
all  that  God  gave  to  his  hand.  Freely  he  had  received, 
and  freely  and  cheerfully  indeed  did  he  give." — "  TAe 
kingdom  and  the  people.'" 

RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

"  Christ  is  the  righteousness  of  sinners  to  God,  and 
the  righteousness  of  God  to  sinners." — Venning. 

Salvation's  robe  is  not  patchwork,  partly  Christ's 
righteousness  and  partly  ours.     Christ  is  all. 

"  The  bottom  of  our  diseases  lies  in  not  searching  our 
diseases  to  the  bottom.     So  we  have  but  some  rags  to 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  361 

cover  our  nakedness,  we  then  wickedly  despise  the  Sa- 
viour's righteousness." — W.  Seeker. 

"  This  is  the  great,  yea,  for  aught  I  can  see,  the  only 
real  difference  between  the  covenant  of  works  and  the 
covenant  of  grace  (as  regards  justification).  They  both 
require  the  same  obedience  and  righteousness  to  justify 
men,  only  the  covenant  of  grace  allows  it  to  be  righteous- 
ness of  another's,  but  the  covenant  of  works  requires 
that  it  be  wrought  out  by  the  man  himself.  It  is  true  we 
live  by  doing  this  as  well  as  Adam ;  but  we  do  it  by  our 
Surety,  not  in  our  own  persons.  And  hence  we  may  learn 
what  covenant  it  was  that  Christ,  the  second  Adam,  was 
made  under.  It  was  strictly  the  covenant  of  works — of 
personal  righteousness;  the  same  that  God  entered  into 
with  Adam ;  and  therefore  he  is  called  by  the  Apostle 
the  second  Adam,  because  the  first  Adam  failing  in  his 
undertaking,  he  rose  up  in  his  stead,  to  be  our  federal 
Head  and  Representative.  Hence  the  blessed  name  by 
which  he  is  called,  ^  The  Lord  our  Righteousness.' " — 
Sopkins. 

"As  when  a  child  travels  in  his  father's  company  all  is 
paid  for,  but  the  father  himself  carries  the  purse ;  so  the 
expenses  of  a  Christian's  warfare  and  journey  to  heaven 
are  paid  for  and  discharged  for  him  by  the  Lord  in  every 
stage  and  condition." — Gurnall. 

Brass  and  gold. — "How  foolish  and  ignorant  we 
should  esteem  an  artificer,  who  having  taken  a*piece  of 
iron,  should  melt  and  mould,  file  and  polish  it,  and  then 
imagine  that  it  has  become  gold.  It  shines,  it  is  true, 
but  is  its  brilliancy  a  proof  that  it  is  no  longer  iron  ? 
And  does  not  God  require  pure  and  refined  gold,  that  is 
to  say,  a  perfect  righteousness  and  a  perfect  holiness  ? 

31 


862  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

Say,  ye  sages  of  this  world,  shall  any  metal  but  that  of 
the  sanctuary  find  currency  in  heaven?  Or  shall  God 
mistake  what  is  false  for  what  is  genuine,  and  shall  he 
confound  the  hypocritical  outward  show  of  human  moral- 
ity, with  that  everlasting  life  which  partakes  of  his  own 
nature,  and  which  the  Holy  Spirit  alone  implants  within 
the  soul  which  he  has  new  created?  And  does  not  the 
scripture  tell  us  that  this  divine  nature,  this  life  of 
heaven,  is  that  which  alone  unites  a  soul  to  God,  and 
obtains  an  entrance  into  his  heavenly  kingdom?  Can 
communion  with  God  be  enjoyed  by  any  but  the  man 
who  is  born  again,  created  anew,  and  regenerated  by  the 
Holy  Ghost?  Can  anything  but  light  unite  itself  with 
light,  and  is  the  light  of  heaven  anything  but  itself, 
namely,  light?" — Malan. 

The  perfect  robe. — "I  do  not  think  there  is  any 
rent,  or  spot,  or  blemish,  in  the  robe  of  righteousness. 
Blessed  be  God,  it  is  laid  up  in  the  wardrobe  where  men 
or  devils  can  never  injure  it.  Do  not  think  I  suppose  it 
wants  the  embroidery  of  frames  and  feelings — be  this 
ever  far  from  me." — Helen  Plumptre. 

"The  Lord  our  righteousness"  {Jer.  xxiii.  6). — 
"  This  now  is  that  Jesus,  who  is  given  unto  us  as  our 
propitiatory  sacrifice,  as  our  merciful  and  faithful  high- 
priest,  who  suffered  on  the  earth,  and  is  gone  into  heaven 
for  us;  standing  in  his  red  robes,  garments  rolled  in 
blood,  wiffti  those  glorious  whites  upon  the  red — pardon, 
peace,  absolution,  acceptance,  with  the  names  of  his 
ransomed  ones  engraven  upon  his  heart  and  upon  his 
shoulders ;  this  is  that  Jesus  who  is  the  lord  our  right- 
eousness. ' ' — A  Heine. 

An  inscription. — "Near  a  hundred  years  ago  an  old 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  363 

building  was  pulled  down  in  one  of  the  cities  of  Switzer- 
land. A  long  time  before  this  it  had  been  part  of  a  Car- 
thusian convent,  tenanted  before  the  Reformation.  A 
box  was  found  buried  in  the  wall,  and  in  the  box  was  de- 
posited this  prayer — '  0  most  merciful  God,  I  know  that 
I  can  only  be  saved  and  satisfy  thy  righteousness  by  the 
merit,  the  innocent  sufferings  and  death  of  thy  well- 
beloved  Son.  Holy  Jesus,  my  salvation  is  in  thy  hands. 
Thou  canst  not  withdraw  the  hands  of  thy  love  from  me, 
for  they  have  created  and  redeemed  me.  Thou  hast 
inscribed  my  name  with  a  pen  of  iron  in  rich  mercy,  and 
so  that  nothing  can  efface  it,  on  thy  side,  thy  hands,  and 
thy  feet.'  " — Christian  Treasury. 

BuNYAN. — "One  day,"  says  Bunyan,  "as  I  was  pass- 
ing into  the  field,  and  that  too  with  some  dashes  on  my 
conscience,  fearing  lest  yet  all  was  not  right,  suddenly 
this  sentence  fell  upon  my  soul,  ^Thy  righteousness  is  in 
heaven,'  and  methought  withal  I  saw  with  the  eyes  of  my 
soul,  Jesus  Christ  at  God's  right  hand.  There,  I  say, 
was  my  righteousness,  so  that  wherever  I  was  or  what- 
ever I  was  doing,  God  could  not  say  of  me,  '  He  wants 
my  righteousness,'  for  that  was  just  before  him.  I  also 
saw,  moreover,  that  it  was  not  my  good  frame  of  heart 
that  made  my  righteousness  better,  nor  yet  my  bad  frame 
that  made  my  righteousness  worse ;  for  my  righteousness 
was  Jesus  Christ  himself,  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and 
fcf  ever  (Heh.  xiii.  8)." 

Sandeman. — It  is  said  by  his  biographer  that  setting 
forth  the  righteousness  of  the  saints  was  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal features  of  his  ministry.  ,  It  is  said  that  in  the 
whole  of  his  ministry  he  scarce  ever  preached  a  sermon 
without  referring  to  it. 


364         ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

The  child's  sweet  song. — ''Befurchte  (gardener  to 
Elizabeth,  consort  of  Frederick  II.)  had  one  little  daugh- 
ter, with  whose  religious  instruction  he  had  taken  great 
pains.  When  this  child  was  five  years  of  age,  the  Queen 
saw  her  one  day  while  visiting  the  royal  gardens  at  Shon- 
hausen,  and  was  so  much  pleased  with  her  that  a  week 
afterwards  she  expressed  a  wish  to  see  the  little  girl 
again.  The  father  accordingly  brought  his  artless  child 
to  the  palace,  and  a  page  conducted  her  into  the  royal 
presence.  She  approached  the  Queen,  with  untaught 
courtesy,  kissed  her  robe,  and  modestly  took  her  seat, 
which  had  been  placed  for  Iier,  by  the  Queen's  order, 
near  her  own  person.  From  this  position  she  could 
overlook  the  table,  at  which  the  Queen  was  dining  with 
the  ladies  of  her  court,  and  they  watched  with  interest  to 
see  the  effect  of  so  much  splendor  on  the  simple  child. 
She  looked  carelessly  on  the  costly  dresses  of  the  guests, 
the  gold  porcelain  on  the  table,  and  the  pomp  with  which 
all  was  conducted,  and  then  folding  her  hands  she  sang 
with  her  clear  childish  voice,  these  words : — 

*  Jesus,  Thy  blood  and  righteousness 
Are  all  my  ornament  and  dress; 
Fearless  with  these  pure  garments  on, 
ril  view  the  splendors  of  thy  throne.' 

All  the  assembly  were  struck  with  surprise  at  seeing  so 
much  feeling,  penetration,  and  piety  in  one  so  young. 
Tears  filled  the  eyes  of  the  ladies,  and  the  Queen  ex- 
claimed, '  Ah !  happy  child !  how  far  are  we  below  you !'  " 
- — Qhristian  Treasury. 

SALVATION. 

Many  men  want  a  Hel^er^  but  not  a  Saviour. 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  ^65 

"God's  justice  would  be  glorified  undoubtedly  in  my 
condemnation ;  but  in  my  salvation  everi/  attribute  is  glo- 
rified. The  very  attribute  that  seemed  to  shut  me  out  is' 
the  very  one  that  welcomes  me  in." — J.  IT.  Evans. 

"  Our  altar  is  foursquare,  it  has  a  face  each  way,  and 
it  has  a  horn  upon  each  corner,  that  the  man-slayer  who 
flees  for  safety  may  touch  it,  and  he  who  touches  that 
altar  touches  it  for  safety." — Ihid. 

"Salvation  is  no  commercial  transaction  in  which 
God,  like  a  merchant,  bargains  to  give  so  much  for  so 
much;  but  it  is  a  divine  gift  which,  in  the  exercise  of 
Almighty  power  and  God-like  bounty,  he  confers  upon 
the  needy  and  the  helpless." — Hon.  ^  Rev.  B.  W:  JSfoel. 

For  the  lost. — "  There  is  a  story  of  one  that,  falling 
asleep,  dreamed  that  he  was  in  a  large  field,  hedged  in  on 
all  sides  with  thunder,  lightning,  hail-storms,  and  the 
like  tempestuous  weather,  and  that  he  saw  certain  houses 
afar  off,  and  making  towards  one  of  them,  craved  admit- 
tance till  the  storm  were  over.  'What  art  thou?'  said 
the  master  of  the  house.  'I  am  such  a  one,'  says  he, 
telling  his  name.  'And  I,'  says  the  master,  'am  called 
Justice ;  thou  must  not  look  for  any  comfort  from  me, 
but  rather  the  contrary.'  At  another  house  he  was  an- 
swered that  there  dwelt  Trtith,  one  that  he  never  loved, 
and  must  therefore  expect  no  shelter  there.  Well,  he 
goes  to  the  third,  the  house  of  .Peace,  and  there  he  finds 
the  like  entertainment.  In  the  midst  of  this  distraction 
he  lights  upon  the  house  of  Mercy,  and  there  humbly 
desiring  entrance,  was  made  welcome  and  refreshed.  This 
may  be  but  a  dream  imaginary,  yet  the  application  is  a 
real  truth.  Then  thus  it  is  not  the  sewing-up  together 
of  some  few  fig-leaves  of  merit,  as  some  suppose,  that 
31  * 


4 

366  LLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

will  cover  tlie  nakedness  of  a  poor  distressed  soul,  nor 
the  outward  varnish  and  goodly  splendor  of  moral  vir» 
tues  and  humane  performances,  as  others  think,  that  can 
add  anything  of  comfort  to  the  wounded  conscience. 
When  the  habitations  of  Justice,  Truth,  and  Peace  are 
bolted  fast  upon  the  drooping  soul,  then  are  the  gates  of 
Mercy  wide  open  to  receive  it,  there  being  no  salvation 
but  by  the  mercies  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus." — Spencer. 

The  first  beginnings  of. — "Some  time  ago,  in  a 
village  near  the  sea,  a  young  man  much  loved  in  the 
neighborhood,  got  out  of  his  depth  in  bathing,  and  was 
supposed  to  be  dead.  He  was  taken  into  a  house  and  all 
means  used  to  restore  him.  A  crowd  assembled  round 
the  door,  with  the  utmost  anxiety  depicted  on  their  faces. 
At  length  some  one  came  out  of  the  house,  and  with  the 
deepest  emotion  said,  'He  has  drawn  a  breath !'  The 
news  ran  through  the  crowd  like  an  electric  shock.  Oh, 
is  not  such  the  joy  in  the  family,  in  the  Church,  yea, 
among  the  angels  of  God — over  the  first  sign  of  life,  or 
*one  sinner  that  repenteth?'" 

"Save  me,  0  Lord,  in  spite  of  myself." — An  illus- 
tration of  Augustine's  prayer  was  given  in  the  Family 
Treasury  some  time  ago : — 

"  In  the  year  1852  (says  tbe  writer)  I  was  residing  in 

C ,  a  small  town  on  the  bank  of  a  river,  and  on  one 

occasion  I  joined  a  party 'of  young  men,  who,  like  my- 
self, were  without  God  and  Without  hope  in  the  world. 
We  crossed  the  river,  and  spent  the  day  in  wild  frolic  in 
a  village,  which  we  left  at  sundown  to  return  home. 
When  we  were  all  on  board  our  small  boat,  most  of  the 
party  seemed  the  worse  for  liquor,  and  one  man  was  so 
much  intoxicated  that  we  could  not  restrain  him.     We 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.         36T 

had  readied  the  middle  of  the  river  when  he  jumped 
upon  the  gunwale,  and  capsized  us  all  into  the  water.  I 
immediately  struck  out  for  the  shore,  but  soon  turned  and 
saw  that  my  companions  were  plunging  about  in  the 
stream ;  but  a  few  had  seized  the  boat,  and  were  clinging 
to  its  sides  as  it  lay  keel  upward. 

"  I  was  rejoiced  to  see  two  boats  approaching.  First 
one,  then  the  other  came  to  my  rescue  ;  but  fool  as  I  was, 
I  rejected  the  offer,  for  I  felt  proud  of  my  superior 
strength  and  skill,  and  struck  out  boldly  towards  that 
part  of  the  shore  -  where  steam-boats  stop  for  coal. 
Owing  to  the  sudden  rise  and  fall  of  the  river,  perma- 
nent wharves  would  not  at  all  times  be  accessible,  and 
large  boats  are  used  as  floating  wharves ;  and  in  nay 
blindness  I  was  approaching  this  spot,  where  the  water, 
passing  under  these  boats,  came  out  in  a  boiling  flood. 
,  "There  I  found  myself  sinking,  perishing  almost 
within  reach  of  the  shore.  My  foolish  pride  was  sub- 
dued. I  felt  my  need  of  a  strong  hand  to  lift  me  from 
the  yawning  gulf.  But  God  had  not  given  me  over  to 
death.  As  soon  as  I  threw  up  my  arms  and  called  for 
assistance,  help  was  at  hand,  and  I  was  taken  to  a  place 
of  safety.  The  two  boats  landed  my  companions.  Thus 
we  were  all  rescued  from  a  watery  grave. 

"My  young  reader  out  of  Christ,  is  not  this  your 
very  case  ?  You  are  now  in  the  stream.  You  are  rely- 
ing on  your  own  strength  to  stem  the  current.  You  are 
blindly  refusing  the  aid  of  an  almighty  Saviour.  Cease 
struggling  to  save  yourselves  without  him;  throw  up 
your  arms  and  cry,  'Lord,  save;  I  perish  !'  Call  now 
for  mercy,  and  you  will  find  that  the  Lord  Jesus  i.s 


368  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERmOS. 

at   your   side,    able    and   willing    to    save.  '  —  Family 
Treasury. 

"By  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith:  and 
THAT  NOT  OF  YOURSELVES"  (Eph.  ii.  8). — "A  lady  once 
told  her  minister  what  efforts  she  had  made  to  obtain  sal- 
vation, how  she  had  read  and  prayed,  but  still  seemed  as 
far  from  peace  as  ever.  He  told  her  that  it  was  not  by 
anything  she  could  do,  but  by  what  Christ  had  long 
since  done  and  finished  on  the  cross  that  she  was  to  be 
saved.  All  seemed  dark  and  mysterious  to  her,  and  she 
left,  resolving  however  to  call  on  a  friend  who  had 
recently  been  converted.  She  did  so,  and  asked  her 
what  she  had  done  to  obtain  the  peace  she  spoke  of. 
'  Done  !  I  have  done  nothing  !  It  is  by  what  Christ  has 
done  that  I  have  found  peace  with  God.'  The  lady  re- 
plied that  this  was  what  the  minister  had  just  been  telling 
her,  but  that  she  could  not  understand  it.  She  went 
home  with  her  distress  greatly  increased ;  and  shutting 
up  herself  in  her  room,  she  fell  on  her  knees,  resolving 
that  she  would  never  rise  till  her  soul  found  rest  and 
peace.  How  long  her  agonies  continued  I  could  not  say ; 
but  nature  became  quite  exhausted,  and  she  sank  to 
slumber.  While  thus  asleep,  she  dreamed  that  she  was 
falling  over  a  frightful  precipice,  but  caught  hold  of  a 
single  twig,  which  overhung  the  abyss  beneath.  By  this 
she  hung,  crying  aloud  for  help,  when  a  voice  from  below, 
which  she  knew  to  be  the  voice  of  Jesus,  bade  her  let  go 
the  twig,  and  he  would  receive  and  save  her.  '  Lord, 
save  me !'  she  cried ;  but  the  voice  again  answered,  '  Let 
go  the  twig.'  She  felt  as  though  she  dare  not  leave  hold, 
but  continued  crying,  '  Lord,  save  me  !'  At  last  the  one 
below,  whose  voice  she  heard  but  whom  she  did  not  see, 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  369 

Baid  in  the  most  tender,  solemn  tones,  ^  I  cannot  save 
you  unless  you  let  go  the  twig  !'  At  last  she  let  it  go, 
fell  into  the  arms  of  Jesus,  and  the  joy  of  finding  her- 
self there  awoke  her.  The  lesson  taught  her  by  her 
dream  was  not  lost  upon  her.  She  perceived  that  Jesus 
was  worthy  of  all  her  trust,  and  that  not  only  did  she 
need  no  twig  of  self-dependence,  but  that  it  was  holding 
to  the  twig  that  kept  her  away  from  Christ.  She  let  go, 
and  found  Jesus  all  sufficient." — TrencJis  Illustrations 
of  Truth. 

SANCTIFICATION. 

"It  is  no  less  than  for  a  man  to  be  brought  to  an  entire 
resignation  to  the  will  of  God ;  and  to  live  in  an  offering 
up  of  his  heart  continually  in  the  flames  of  love  as  a 
burnt-offering  to  God." — Archbishop  Usher. 

''  Many  have  clean  hands  but  unclean  hearts.  They 
wash  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  platter  when  all  is  filthy 
within.  Now,  the  former  without  the  latter  profits  a  man 
no  more  than  it  profited  Pilate,  who  condemned  Christ, 
to  wash  his  hands  in  the  presence  of  the  people :  he 
washed  his  hands  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  yet  had  a 
hand  in  the  death  of  Christ.  The  Egyptian  temples 
were  beautiful  on  the  outside,  but  within  you  shall  find 
nothing  but  some  serpent  or  crocodile.  '  He  is  not  a  Jew, 
which  is  one  outwardly.'  Judas  was  a  saint  without, 
but  a  sinner  within ;  openly  a  disciple,  but  secretly  a 
devil."— Ifead 

"  Justification  was  never  intended  as  a  substitute 
for  sanctification." — J.  H.  Evans. 

"  The  broad  seal  of  our  sanctification  must  witness 
to  the  privy  seal  of  our  adoption." — Burkitt. 


370  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

"  The  sanctieication  of  nature  corrects  some  sins, 
that  it  may  the  more  secretly  practice  others.  The 
sanctification  of  grace  wages  war  with  all  sin.  It  aims 
at  its  universal  mortification.  When  this  is  felt  in  the 
soul,  we  may  take  encouragement  from  oui*  very  failures, 
as  they  prove  to  us  that  we  are  honestly  contending 
against  that  which  is  hateful  to  God." — CJioice  Sayings, 

*'  Observe  how  frequently  the  work  of  sanctification 
is  ascribed  to  God  under  the  title.  The  God  of  peace.'' — 
Dr.  Love. 

"  The  Cross  once  seen  is  death  to  every  vice." — 
Cowper. 

"  Grace  is  of  a  stirring  nature,  it  will  show  itself  in 
holiness  and  good  works ;  it  will  walk  with  you,  and  talk 
with  you  in  all  places  and  companies,  it  will  buy  with 
you  and  sell  with  you,  and  have  a  hand  in  all  your  actions. 
It  is  a  sad  thing,  when  believers  are  off  their  guard, 
when  they  profess  to  have  been  on  the  mount  as  Moses 
really  was,  and  yet  like  him,  they  no  sooner  come  down 
than  they  turn  and  break  the  commandments.  A  Chris- 
tian should  let  us  see  his  graces,  walking  abroad  in  his 
daily  conversation,  and  if  such  guests  are  in  the  house, 
they  will  often  look  out  at  the  windows,  and  be  publicly 
seen  abroad  in  all  duties  and  holy  actions." — Grurnall. 

Progressive. — "  Heaven  is  to  be  gained  by  a  ladder, 
not  by  a  leap ;  step  by  step,  not  at  one  bound." 

"  Seeds  of  grace,  though  mixed  with  a  mass  of  cor- 
ruption, cannot  be  overcome  by  it ;  as  gold  cannot  be 
altered  in  its  nature  by  the  dross,  or  transformed  into  the 
nature  of  the  rubbish  in  which  it  lies.  .  .  .  The  meanest 
grace  is  above  the  highest  intellectual  parts,  as  the  smile 
of  a  sunbeam  is  more  powerful  to  chase  away  the  grim 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  371 

and  sour  darkness  of  the  night  than  the  sparkling  of  a 
dram. ' ' — Charnoch. 

"  It  is  wonderful  to  see  how  the  little  events  of  our 
daily  life  tend  to  our  sanctification,  though  we  know  it 
not  at  the  time.  Every  week  seems  so  like  the  other. 
But  you  know  when  the  sculptor  begins  his  work,  he 
strikes  great  pieces  off  the  block.  Every  stroke  tells 
visibly.  But  when  the  statue  is  nearly  finished  he  takes 
thefcne  chisel,  and  strikes  off  but  a  little  dust  at  a  time. 
You  scarcely  see  the  effects  of  the  blow,  yet  then  it  is 
directed  with  most  art  and  skill — then  the  work  is  nearly 
done." — Doing  and  Suffering. 

"  This   holiness,   though  habitually  sincere,  and 

on  the  whole  progressive,  is,  alas  !  at  best  but  imperfect. 
To  v*dll  is  present  with  him ;  the  spirit  is  willing — but 
how  to  be  all  he  wishes  to  be,  he  finds  not— the  flesh  is 
weak.  Tbe  spirit  would  be  entirely  holy — nature  can- 
not. Nature  would  be  unholy — the  spirit  cannot.  A 
bird  of  Paradise  is  detained  in  a  cage  of  fallen  humanity ; 
the  cage  cannot  kill  the  bird — the  bird  cannot  free  itself 
from  the  cage,  neither  can  it  transfer  the  cage  into  its 
own  likeness ;  it  flutters  and  falls  back  ;  it  sighs  for 
liberty  and  flutters  again ;  it  quiets  itself  in  patience 
and  sings  in  hope  of  deliverance — and  thus  it  must  flutter 
and  sigh,  and  sing  and  wait,  till  the  cage  is  removed. 
Then  ''to  he  absent  from  the  body  is  to  he  present  with  the 
Lord.'  Then  the  kingdom  of  God  shall  be  fully  set  up 
within  us.  Then  mortality  shall  be  swallowed  up  of  life. 
Then  shall  ^  we  he  satisfied,  when  we  awake  with  his  like- 
ness.' " — Rev.  R.  J.  Wheeler. 

Necessary  as  well  as  justification. — "  Justification 
regards  something  done  for  us ;   sanctification  something 


872  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

done  in  us.  The  one  is  a  change  in  our  state,  the  other 
in  our  nature.  The  one  is  perfect,  the  other  graduaL 
The  one  is  derived  from  the  obedience  of  the  Saviour, 
the  other  from  his  Spirit.  The  one  gives  us  a  title  to 
heaven,  the  other  a  meetness  for  it.  Suppose  you  had  a 
son — ^you  forbade  him  to  enter  a  place  of  contagion  on 
pain  of  losing  all  you  could  leave  him.  He  goes,  and 
is  seized  with  the  infection.  He  is  guilty,  for  he  has 
transgressed  your  command,  but  he  is  also  diseased.  Do 
you  not  perceive  that  your  forgiving  him  does  not  heal 
him  ?  He  wants  not  only  the  father's  pardon,  but  the 
physician's  aid.  In  vain  is  he  freed  from  the  forfeiture 
of  his  estate,  if  he  be  left  under  the  force  of  the  dis- 
order."— Rev.  W.  Jag. 

A  Christian's  wish. — "I  wish,"  says  Rutherford, 
"for  no  other  heaven,  on  this  side  the  last  sea  I  must 
cross,  than  this  service  of  Christ,  to  make  my  blackness, 
beauty;  my  deadness,  life;  my  guiltiness,  sanctification. 
I  long  much  for  that  day  when  I  shall  be  holy.  Oh! 
what  spots  are  yet  unwashen!" 

"Holy  in  all  manner  oe  conversation." — History 
records  that  in  the  days  of  Tiberius  it  was  thought  a 
crime  to  carry  a  ring  stamped  with  the  image  of  Augus- 
tus into  any  mean  or  sordid  place,  where  it  might  be 
polluted!  How  much  may  those  who  profess  to  be  a 
holy  people  learn  even  from  a  heathen ! 

The  holier — the  humbler. — Archbishop  Usher  was 
well  known  for  his  sanctified  life  and  eminent  learn- 
ing. The  following  anecdote  will  testify  to  his  deep 
humility : 

A  friend  of  the  Archbishop  frequently  urged  him  to 
write  his  thoughts  on  Sanctification,  which  at  length  ho 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  373 

engaged  to  do ;  but  a  considerable  time  elapsing,  the 
performance  of  bis  promise  was  importunately  claimed 
The  Bishop  replied  to  this  purpose :  "I  have  not  written, 
and  yet  I  cannot  charge  myself  with  a  breach  of  prom- 
ise ;  for  I  began  to  write,  but  when  I  came  to  treat  of 
the  new  creature  which  God  formeth  by  his  own  Spirit 
in  every  regenerate  soul,  I  found  so  little  of  it  wrought 
in  myself,  that  I  could  speak  of  it  only  as  parrots,  or 
by  rote,  but  without  the  knowledge  of  what  I  might 
have  expressed,  and  therefore  I  durst  not  presume  to 
proceed  any  further  upon  it." 

Upon  this,  his  friend  stood  amazed  to  hear  such  a 
humble  confession  from  so  grave,  holy,  and  eminent  a 
person.  The  Bishop  then  added, — "  I  must  tell  you  we 
do  not  well  understand  what  sanctification  and  the  new 
creature  are.  It  is  no  less  than  for  a  man  to  be  brought 
to  an  entire  resignation  of  his  own  will  to  the  will  of 
God ;  and  to  live  in  the  offering  up  of  his  soul  continu- 
ally in  the  flames  of  love,  as  a  whole  burnt-offBring  to 
Christ ;  and  oh !  how  many  who  profess  Christianity 
are  unacquainted  experimentally  with  his  work  upon 
their  souls." 

SCRIPTURES,  THE. 

"  The  revelation  of  the  gracious  heart  of  God,  and 
the  wicked  heart  of  man." — Bishop  Watson. 

A  CARELESS  READER  of  the  Scriptures  never  made  a 
close  walker  with  God. 

The  Bible  is  always  a  new  book  to  those  best  ac- 
quainted with  it. 

"  The  Scriptures  were  no  doubt  indited  by  the 
Holy    Ghost,    for   good    men   would  not  impose   such 

S2 


374  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

things  on  the  world,  and  there  is  too  much  against 
the  had  to  believe  them  to  be  the  authors  of  it." — 
Palmer. 

Like  the  Incarnation,  it  is  truly  human  and  truly 
Divine.  Holy  men  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost;  and  just  as  when  God  sent  his  Son  into 
the  world,  he  sent  him  not  in  the  fashion  of  an  angel, 
nor  in  the  fashion  of  celestial  and  glorified  form,  but 
made  like  in  all  points  to  his  brethren ;  so,  when  he  sent 
into  the  world  his  written  word  it  came  not  written  with 
an  angel's  plume,  but  with  a  reed  from  the  Jordan ;  it 
was  consigned  to  paper  from  the  Nile ;  every  word  of  it 
Hellenistic  or  Hebrew,  and  yet  every  word  none  the  less 
heavenly." — Dr.  Hamilton. 

"The  Bible,"  said  Howels,  "is  common  sense  in- 
spired." 

How  significant  are  some  of  the  names  given  to  dis- 
tinguish the  type  in  which  the  word  of  truth  is  printed, 
— Dianfond,  Ruby,  Pearl,  &c.  "  Wisdom  is  better  than 
rubies,"  who  can  but  think  of  "the  Pearl  of  great 
price : 

—  "  The  Booh  of  Command,'' — the  suggestive  title 
given  by  the  Koords  ;  see  page  247. 

—  '-^  Sons  of  the  Word.'' — Not  less  suggestive  was 
the  title  which  the  Christians  gave  themselves,  who  met 
Mr.  Williams.  On  nearing  the  shore,  he  says,  "  A  num- 
ber of  canoes  approached  us,  in  one  of  which  some  na- 
tives stood  up,  and  shouted,  "  We  are  Christians  !  We 
are  Christians  !'  "  The  phrase  was  literally  "  Sons  of 
the  word." 

Variety  of  the  scriptures. — "  Like  an  arch,  which 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  375 

is  not  all  pier  or  key-stone,  but  which  consists  of  many- 
courses  framed  together." 

"  Here  is  both  unity  and  variety.  The  bouquet  is 
composed  of  many  flowers,  but  all  of  them  gathered  in 
the  conservatory  of  heaven.  The  bundle  contains  many 
spices,  aloes,  cassia,  and  myrrh,  as  well  as  the  mint  and 
cummin ;  Pioverbs  as  well  as  Gospels ;  Chronicles  as 
well  as  Psalms ;  some  of  them  exquisite,  some  homely, 
but  all  from  God,  and  all  of  them  in  their  collective- 
ness  ^profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correc- 
tion, for  instruction  in  righteousness.'  " — Dr.  J.  Ham- 
ilton. 

Reading. — "  To  unconverted  people,  the  Bible  resem- 
bles a  letter  written  in  ciphers,  and  the  Spirit  sits  as  the 
Interpreter." 

—  As  the  Lapidary  polisheth  his  hard  diamond  with 
the  dust  ground  from  itself,  so  must  we  illustrate  dark 
Scriptures  by  those  that  are  more  perspicuous  and 
plain. 

—  Superficial  reading  of,  is  like  a  person  plucking 
flowers  from  his  garden  in  Cornwall,  and  not  knowing 
that  beneath  the  soil  may  be  hidden  treasures  of  tin,  or 
silver,  or  some  precious  metal. 

—  With  simplicity. — "  God  hath  bewildered  and  be- 
misted  the  wit  and  the  learning  of  the  disputers  of 
this  time ;  they  look  asquint  to  the  Bible ;  this  blind- 
ing and  bemisting  world  blindfoldeth  men's  light,  that 
they  are  afraid  to  see  straight  out  before  them,  nay, 
their  very  light  playeth  the  knave,  or  worse,  to  truth." 
• — Rutherford. 

—  The  only  reason  why  so  many  are  against  the 
Bible,  is  because  they  know  the  Bible  is  against  them. 


376  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

—  The  Christian  student  who  would  "  search  the 
Scriptures,"  should  learn  to  "exercise  a  critical  habit  in 
a  spiritual  atmosphere." — Q.  Bridges. 

— "  We  might  often  be  spared  the  rod  in  Christ's 
school  if  we  were  more  docile  learners  of  the  Bible." — 
Mothers  in  Council, 

The  SCRIPTURES  the  word  of  Christ. — "  No  object 
can  well  be  more^  dull  and  meaningless  than  the  stained 
window  of  an  ancient  church,  as  long  as  you  stand  with- 
out and  look  toward  a  dark  interior ;  but  when  you 
stand  within  the  temple,  and  look  through  that  window 
upon  the  light  of  heaven,  the  still,  solemn  forms  that 
lie  in  it  start  into  loveliness.  We  often  meet  a  verse  in 
the  pages  of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures  very  like 
those  ancient  works  of  art.  The  beauty  of  holiness  is 
in  it — put  into  it  by  the  Spirit  from  the  first,  and  yet 
its  beauty  was  not  fully  seen  until  the  Sun  of  Righteous- 
ness arose,  and  the  Israel  of  God,  no  longer  kept  in  the 
outer  court,  entered  into  the  rent  veil,  and,  from  the 
Holy  of  Holies,  looked  through  the  ancient  record  on 
an  illumined  heaven.  Many  hidden  beauties  burst  into 
view  in  the  pages  of  the  Old  Testament,  when  faith's 
open  eye  looks  through  in  the  face  of  Jesus — e.  g.  '  By 
mercy  and  truth  iniquity  is  purged.'  Prov.  xvi.  6.  The 
line  of  the  Scriptures  becomes  thoroughly  transparent 
only  when  you  hold  it  up  between  you  and  Christ  cruci- 
fied."— Laws  from  Heaven. 

"  The  scriptures  are  the  circumference  of  faith,  the 
round  of  which  it  walks,  and  every  point  of  which  com- 
pass it  toucheth,  yet  the  centre  of  it  is  Christ.  That  is 
the  polar  star  on  which  it  resteth." — Henry. 

—  By  the  Spirit. — "The  Spirit  can  convert  witliout 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  377 

the  word,  but  the  word  cannot  convert  without  the 
Spirit." 

TiLLOTSON,  for  nearly  five  years,  scarcely  read  any- 
thing but  the  Bible. 

Sir  T.  F.  Buxton,  once  when  writing  to  his  daughter 
upon  a  division  in  the  House  of  Commons,  which  he 
had  made  a  subject  of  especial  prayer,  telling  her  how 
often  he  had  referred  to  Asa's  prayer,  adds — "If  you 
want  to  see  the  passage,  open  my  Bible,  it  will  turn  of 
itself  to  the  place.'' 

"  The  Word  of  God  is  the  water  of  life,  the  more 
ye  lave  it  forth,  the  fresher  it  runneth;  it  is  the  fire  of 
God's  glory,  the  more  ye  blow  it,  the  clearer  it  burneth ; 
it  is  the  corn  of  the  Lord's  field,  the  better  you  grind 
it,  the  more  it  yieldeth ;  it  is  the  bread  of  heaven,  the 
more  it  is  broken  and  given  forth,  the  more  it  remaineth ; 
it  is  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  the  more  it  is  scoured,  the 
brighter  it  shineth.  The  voice  of  God  cannot  be  un- 
pleasant to  their  ears  who  are  the  children  of  God,  the 
oftener  they  hear  it,  the  more  they  receive;  they  can 
never  have  overmuch  who  never  have  enough." — Bishop 
Jewel. 

Difficulties  in. — Bengel  wrote  to  his  pupil  Keuss, 
about  the  various  readings  of  the  New  Testament,  which 
in  his  day  were  rather  perplexed, — "  Take  and  eat  in 
simplicity  the  Bread  g,s  you  have  it  before  you,  and  be 
not  disturbed  if  you  find  in  it  now  and  then  a  grit  of 
the  millstone." 

Lord  Bacon  says  of  the  difficulties  of  Scripture,  "  If 
they  teach  us  nothing  else  they  teach  us  our  own  blind- 
ness." 

A  spiritual  frame  of  mind,  Mr.  Pearce  used  to  say, 

32  * 


378  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

is  as  a  good  light  in  viewing  a  painting ;  it  will  not  a  little 
facilitate  the  understanding  of  the  Scriptures. 

An  old  Scotch  divine  says,  "  It  is  no  small  mercy 
to  have  our  Father's  will  in  our  mother's  tongue." 

Wonderful  preservation  of. — Hardly  any  chapter 
in  God's  providence  will  be  found,  in  a  future  world, 
more  interesting  than  the  history  of  the  Bible.  Take 
as  an  example  Dr.  Judson's  Burmese  Testament.  ''  When 
first  translated,  it  was  taken  to  Ava  in  manuscript ;  and 
when  Dr.  Judson  was  .thrown  into  prison,  was  secretly 
sewed  up  by  his  wife  in  a  cushion  too  hard  and  unsightly 
to  tempt  the  cupidity  even  of  his  jailors,  and  used  by 
him  as  a  pillow.  When,  at  the  close  of  seven  months, 
he  and  his  fellow-sufferers  were  so  rudely  thrust  into 
the  inner  prison,  the  old  pillow  fell  to  the  share  of  one 
of  the  keepers ;  but  finding  it  probably  too  hard  for  his 
use,  he  threw  it  back,  and  it  came  once  more  into  its 
owner's  hands.  It  was  again  lost  when  he  was  driven 
to  Oung-pen-la ;  and  being  stripped  by  one  of  the  attend- 
ants of  the  mat  which  was  tied  around  it,  the  roll  of 
hard  cotton  was  again  flung  back  into  the  prison.  Here 
it  was  found  by  Moung  Ing,  who  took  it  home,  as  a 
memorial  of  his  teacher,  without  suspecting  its  priceless 
contents.  Several  months  after,  the  manuscript,  which 
now  makes  a  part  of  the  Burmese  Bible,  was  found 
within  uninjured." 

The  present  accessibility  of. — At  the  Sunday 
School  Convention  in  1862  there  were  several  curiosities 
exhibited  of  singular  value;  but  perhaps  none  more 
deeply  interesting  than  two  Bibles,  placed  side  by  side 
— an  old  Bible  of  1603,  then  worth  about  £S  3s.,  and 
close  to  it,  one  of  the  Bible  Society's  Sd.  Bibles,  in  its 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  379 

beautiful  cover  and  gilt  edges.  What  would  have  been 
thought^  when  the  Bible  was  so  scarce  and  dear,  of  Van 
Dorp  ;  the  Bible  Agent's  cry  in  the  streets  of  Holland, 
"Every  one  of  you  is  able  to  send  forth  a  Missionary,'' 
z.  e,  by  giving  away  a  copy  of  the  New  Testament 
for  M. 

The  BEST  RELICS. — A  Popish  preacher  in  the  Strand 
was  bewailing  some  time  ago  the  barrenness  of  the  country 
in  religious  privileges.  "  Some  countries,"  he  said, 
"  have  the  bone  of  one  saint,  some  the  relic  of  another, 
but  here  there  is  nothing,  no  vestige  of  the  blessed 
saints!"  "Ah,"  thought  a  passer  by,  "but  we  have, 
though !  we  have  the  best  relics  Of  the  saints  we  could 
have.  We  have  the  first  promise  which  ever  cheered 
the  heart  of  man,  if  we  have  no  relic  of  the  first  man 
to  whom  it  was  given.  If  we  have  not  a  fragment  of 
the  harp  of  David,  we  have  the  sweet  sounds  that  David's 
harp  gave  forth.  If  we  have  not  a  portion  of  the  thorn 
which  tried  St.  Paul,  we  have  the  comfort  he  received, 
*My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee,  &c. ;'  we  have  the 
arrow  that  first  pierced  him,  '  Saul,  Saul,  why  perse- 
cutest  thou  me?'  and  the  balm  which  healed  him,  '7  am 
Jesus.'  " 

Books  that  die — a  Book  that  lives. — "  The  tables 
of  literary  mortality  show  the  following  appalling  facte 
in  regard  fo  the  chances  of  an  author  to  secure  literary 
fame : — Out  of  1000  published  books  600  never  pay  the 
cost  of  printing,  &c. ;  200  just  pay  expenses ;  100  return 
a  slight  profit ;  and  fewer  show  a  substantial  gain.  Of 
these  1000  books,  650  are  forgotten  by  the  end  of  the 
year,  and  150  more  at  the  end  of  three  years ;  only  50 
survive  seven  years'  publicity.     Of  the  50,000  publica- 


380         ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

tions  put  forth  in  the  seventeenth  century  hardly  more 
than  59  have  a  great  reputation,  and  are  reprinted.  Of 
the  50,000  works  published  in  the  eighteenth  century, 
posterity  has  hardly  preserved  more  than  were  rescued 
from  oblivion  in  the  seventeenth  century.  Men  have 
been  writing  books  these  three  thousand  years,  and  there 
are  hardly  more  than  500  writers  throughout  the  globe 
who  have  survived  the  ravages  of  time  and  the  forget- 
fulness  of  man.  The  vanity  of  young  authors,  though 
there  are  exceptions,  is  proverbial.  Every  year  a  thou- 
sand writers  imagine  that  they  have  something  to  say 
which  the  world  ought  to  hear.  They  hurry  into  print, 
and  ask  men  to  listen  to  the  new  oracle.  But  the  great 
world  goes  on  its  way,  and  pays  no  more  heed  to  their 
modest  request  than  the  ox  in  the  fable  to  the  fly  on 
,  his  horn.  Only  'the  word  of  the  Lord  endureth  for- 
ever.' " 

The  power  of  the  Bible  to  comfort. — Dr.  Gregory 
relates  the  case  of  an  indigent  and  afflicted  man,  whose 
infirmities  were  such  that  he  was  unable  even  to  occupy 
a  chair  withaut  being  supported  by  bands  and  braces 
attached  to  the  ceiling  of  his  poor-tottage.  In  this  help- 
less condition  had  he  been  for  several  years,  unable  to 
move  a  limb,  while  suffering  the  whole  time  extreme 
bodily  anguish.  "As  soon,"  says  Dr.  Gregory,  "as  I 
recovered  a  little  from  my  surprise  at  beholding  an 
object  which  appeared  a  living  image  of  death,  I  asked, 
*Are  you  left  alone,  my  friend,  in  this  deplorable  situ- 
ation?' 'No,  sir,'  replied  he,  in  a  tone  of  mild  and 
touching  resignation,  while  nothing  but  his  lips  and  eyes 
moved  as  he  spoke;  'I  am  not  alone,  for  my  God  is 
with  me!'     On  advancing,  I  discovered  the  secret  of 


\ 

ILMJSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  381 

this  unspeakable  comfort ;  a  Bible  lay  on  Ids  Jcnees,  open 
at  a  favorite  portion  of  the  Psalms  !  In  this  way  was 
he  enabled  daily  to  read  for  himself  the  words  of  eternal 
life,  partaking  of  the  heavenly  manna,  which  imparted 
life  and  peace  to  his  soul.  In  the  midst  of  pain  and 
poverty  he  had  learned  from  that  blessed  book  in  whom 
to  believe ;  and  as  he  expressed  his  confidence,  that  his 
Father  would  never  forsake  him,  hi&>  eye  sparkled  with 
faith,  which  beamed  in  celestial  radiant  upon  his  pallid 
cheek." — Christian  Treasury. 

The  dying  Indian  boy. — "  I  found  him  dying  of  con- 
sumption, and  in  a  state  of  the  most  awful  poverty  and 
destitution,  in  a  small  birch-rind  covered  hut,  with  noth- 
ing but  an  old  blanket  over  him.  After  recovering  from 
my  surprise,  I  said,  '  My  poor  boy,  I  am  very  sorry  to 
see  you  in  this  state ;  had  you  let  me  know,  you  should 
not  have  been  lying  here.'  He  replied,  '  It  is  very  little 
I  want  now,  and  these  poor  people  get  it  for  me  ;  but  I 
should  like  something  to  lie  upon,  as  my  bones  are  very 
sore.'  I  then  asked  him  concerning  the  state  of  his 
mind,  when  he  replied  that  he  was  very  happy ;  that 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord  of  glory,  had  died  to  save  him, 
and  that  he  had  the  most  perfect  confidence  in  him.  Ob- 
serving a  small  Bible  under  the  corner  of  his  blanket,  I 
said,  '  Jack,  you  have  a  friend  there.'  Weak  as  he  was, 
he  raised  himself  on  his  elbow,  held  it  in  his  attenuated 
hand,  while  a  smile  played  on  his  countenance,  and 
slowly  spoke,  in  precisely  the  following  words : — '  This, 
sir,  is  my  dear  friend.  You  gave  it  me.  For  a  long 
time  I  read  it  much  and  often  thought  of  what  it  told. 
Last  year  I  went  to  see  my  sister  at  Lake  Wennipeg 
(about  two  hundred  miles  ofi"),  where  I  renjained  about 


382  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

two  montlis.  When  I  was  half  waj  back  through  tho 
lake  I  remembered  that  I  had  left  my  Bible  behind  me. 
I  directly  turned  round,  and  was  nine  days  by  myself, 
tossing  to  and  fro,  before  I  could  reach  the  house ;  but 
I  found  my  friend,  and  determined  that  I  would  not  part 
with  it  again,  and  ever  since  it  has  been  near  my  breast, 
and  I  thought  I  should  have  buried  it  with  me ;  but  I 
have  thought  since  I  had  better  give  it  to  you  when  I  am 
gone,  and  it  may^  some  one  else  good.'  He  was  often 
interrupted  by  a  sepulchral  cough,  and  sank  down  ex- 
hausted. I  read  and  prayed,  the  hut  hardly  affording 
me  room  to  be  upright  even  when  kneeling." — Mission- 
ary Letter  in  Bishop  of  Montreal's  Journal. 

"  Sitting  under  his  shadow." — "  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Young  was  one  stormy  day  visiting  one  of  his  people, 
an  old  man,  who  lived  in  great  poverty  in  a  lonely  cottage, 
a  few  miles  from  Jedburgh.  He  found  him  sitting  with 
the  Bible  open  on  his  knees,  but  in  outward  circum- 
stances of  great  discomfort,  the  snow  drifting  through 
the  roof  and  under  the  door,  and  scarcely  any  fire  on 
the  hearth.  'What  are  you  about  to-day,  John ?'  was 
Mr.  Young's  question  on  entering.  'Ah  !  sir,'  said  the 
happy  saint,  '  Fm  sitting  under  his  shadow,  wi  great 
delight.'  " — Christian  Treasury. 

The  three  important  discoveries. — "  The  pro^ 
cess  of  enlightenment  in  many  Romanist  minds,"  says 
an  observer,  "is  shadowed  forth  by  the  experience  of 
one  whom  I  saw  but  last  week.  He  sat  down  to  read 
the  Bible  an  hour  each  evening  with  his  wife.  In  a  few 
evenings  he  stopped  in  the  midst  of  his  reading,  and 
said,  '  Wife,  if  this  hook  is  true,  we  are  wrong.' 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  383 

"  He  read  on,  and  in  a  few  days  longer,  said,  '  Wife,  if 
this  hook  is  true,  we  are  lost.' 

"  Riveted  to  the  book,  and  deeply  anxious,  he  still 
read,  and  in  a  week  more  joyfully  exclaimed,  '  Wife,  if 
this  book  is  true,  we  may  he  saved,' 

"  A  few  weeks  more  reading,  and  taught  by  the  Spirit 
of  God  through  the  exhortations  and  instructions  of  a 
City  Missionary,  they  both  placed  their  faith  in  Christ, 
and  are  now  rejoicing  in  hope." — Christian  Treasury, 

Last  words.  —  *'  Speak  to  me  now  in  Scripture 
language  alone,"  said  a  dying  Christian.  "  I  can  trust 
the  words  of  God ;  but  when  they  are  the  words  of  man, 
it  costs  me  an  effort  to  think  whether  I  may  trust  to 
them." 

"Charles,  bring  in  the  Bible,"  said  a  dying  father; 
the  weak  sufferer  laid  his  thin  hands  upon  the  blessed 
book  and  exclaimed, — '•'- 1  rest  in  Christ.'' 

SECURITY,  TOO  GREAT— DANGEROUS. 

The  strongest  swimmers  are  oftenest  drowned,  because 
they  trust  to  their  power,  and  venture  too  far. 

"A  SINNER,  when  his  conscience  has  fallen  asleep,  will 
lie,  like  the  smith's  dog,  at  the  foot  of  the  anvil,  though 
the  fire  sparks  fly  in  his  face." — Bunyan. 

''  Better  to  be  despised  for  too  anxious  apprehensions 
than  ruined  by  too  confident  security." — BurJiif, 

"When  a  man  comes  to  me,  and  says,  'Ifam  quite 
happy,'  I  am  not  sorry  to  find  him  come  again  with, 
some  fears.  I  never  saw  a  work  of  grace  stand  well, 
without  some  check.  '  I  only  want,'  says  one,  ^  to  be 
sure  of  being  safe,  and  then  I  will  go  on.'  No,  perhaps 
then  you  will  go  off." — Newton. 


384  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

The  debtor  and  the  bailiff. — "  Among  my  earliest 
recollections  is  a  pillar  which  was  set  up  as  a  mark  of 
the  borough  bounds ;  as  we  passed  it  one  day  I  remember 
mj  dear  old  father  telling  me  a  story  about  the  pillar. 
Some  years  ago,  said  he,  a  writ  was  about  to  be  served 
upon  a  man  for  debt ;  but  the  debtor,  upon  seeing  the 
bailiff,  started  off  and  ran  as  hard  as  he  could  for  this 
point  (which  was  fully  three  miles  from  the  town).  The 
bailiff,  though  in  full  chase,  could  not  overtake  his  man, 
who  ran  till  he  reached  this  pillar,  and  then  feeling  that 
he  was  beyond  the  precincts  of  the  borough,  he  turned 
around  and  defied  the  bailiff.  The  latter,  knowing  he 
had  no  authority  to  seize  him,  appeared  calmly  to  sub- 
mit to  his  fate ;  but  just  as  he  appeared  to  be  returning 
to  the  town,  stretching  out  his  hand,  he  exclaimed, 
*  Well,  let  us  part  good  friends  at  any  rate.  Here's  my 
hand;'  the  debtor,  thrown  off  his  guard,  took  the 
proffered  hand,  when  the  bailiff  with  one  desperate  effort 
pulled  him  within  the  boundary,  and  clapped  the  other 
hand  upon  his  shoulder,  shouting,  '  You  are  my  pri- 
soner!' '' — Biblical  Treasury. 

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

— "Making  a  bridge  of  our  own  shadow.'' 

"  A  MAN  must  be  separated  from  his  own  righteous- 
ness before  he  can  work  out  one  single  right  act  before 
G-:>d."— cT.  H.  Evans. 
,     "  Satan  laughs  at  all  self-power." — Ibid. 

"  When  persons  are  upon  good  terms  with  themselves, 
it  is  astonishing  how  little  they  need  the  soul-sustaining 
doctrine  of  a  precious  gospel." — Ibid. 

"  The  hypocrite  thinks  himself  rehgious,  not  from 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  885 

any  goodness  of  his  own,  but  from  the  badness  of 
others." 

"  It  is  one  property  of  the  sun,  that  it  pales  every 
light  which  its  own  rays  have  not  pencilled;  and 
quenches  every  fire  which  its  own  beams  have  not 
kindled." 

"Many  who  have  escaped  the  Rocks  of  gross  sins, 
have  been  cast  away  on  the  Sands  of  self-righteousness." 
— Dyer. 

"  The  greatest  step  to  heaven  is  out  of  our  own 
doors,  over  our  own  threshold.  It  hath  cost  many  a 
man  his  life  when  his  house  was  on  fire,  a  covetousness 
to  save  some  of  the  stuff;  which,  venturing  among  the 
flames  to  preserve,  he  has  perished  himself.  More  have 
lost  their  souls  by  thinking  to  carry  some  of  their  own 
stuff  with  them  to  heaven  ;  such  a  good  work  or  duty ; 
which  they,  like  lingering  Lot,  have  been  loath  to  leave 
in  point  of  confidence;  and  have  themselves  perished." 
— Grurnall. 

A  Pharisee  described. — A  native  New  Zealand 
preacher  thus  defined  a  Pharisee: — "A  Pharisee,"  said 
he,  "  is  like  a  bag  tied  half-way  down.  The  bag  is  open 
at  the  top,  but  anything  put  into  it  would  not  reach  the 
bottom ;  so  it  is  with  the  Pharisee,  when  he  prays,  he 
opens  wide  his  mouth,  but  he  keeps  his  heart  close  shut. 
He  asks  with  his  lips  for  things  his  heart  cares  not  for. 
Besides,  he  always  talks  for  effect ;  for  if  ever  God  were 
to  grant  him  the  things  he  asks  for,  it  would  only  be  a 
waste  of  good  gifts,  for  they  could  not  get  to  the  bot- 
tom ;  his  pride,  like  the  string  that  is  tied  round  the 
bag,  preventing  them ;   they  would  therefore  do  him  no 

33 


386  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

good,  as  they  would  reach  no  farther  than  his  throat." — • 
Christian  Treasury. 

The  wolf  on  his  death-bed. — There  is  a  striking 
moral  in  Lessing's  Fable  of  the  dying  Wolf.  "  A  wolf 
lay  at  his  last  gasp,  and  was  reviewing  his  past  life.  '  It 
is  true,'  he  said,  *  I  am  a  sinner,  but  yet  I  hope  not  one 
of  the  greatest ;  I  have  done  evil,  but  I  have  also  done 
much  good.  Once  I  remember  a  bleating  lamb,  that  had 
strayed  from  the  flock,  came  so  near  me,  that  I  might 
easily  have  throttled  it ;  but  I  did  it  no  harm.' 

" '  I  can  testify  to  that,'  said  his  friend  the  fox,  who 
was  helping  him  to  prepare  for  death, — 'I  remember 
perfectly  all  the  circumstances.  It  was  just  at  the  time 
when  you  were  so  dreadfully  choked  with  that  hone  in 
your  throat!'  " 

The  truest  kindness. — ^Wnen  Sir  James  Thornhill 
was  painting  the  inside  of  the  cupola  of  St.  Paul's,  he 
stepped  back  one  day  to  see  the  effect  of  his  work,  and 
came,  without  observing  it,  so  near  the  edge  of  the  scaf- 
folding that  I  another  step  or  two  would  have  proved  his 
death.  A  friend,  who  was  there  and  saw  the  danger, 
rushed  forward,  and  snatching  up  a  brush,  rubbed  it 
straight  over  the  painting.  Sir  James,  transported  with 
rage,  sprang  forward  to  save  his  work,  and  received  the 
explanation :  "  Sir,  by  spoiling  the  painting,  I  have 
saved  the  life  of  the  painter."  Similarly  does  the  Lord, 
in  his  wisdom,  often  suddenly  mar  the  pride  of  our 
glory;  but  who  that  sees  the  mercy  he  has  in  view, 
would  not  praise  him  for  his  goodness  ? 

Sinful  self. — "  In  the  parish  where  Mr.  Hervey 
preached,  when  he  inclined  to  loose  sentiments,  there 
resided  a  ploughman  who  usually  attended  the  ministry 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERING:^.  88T 

of  Dr.  Doddridge,  and  was  well  informed  in  the  doc- 
trines of  grace.  Mr.  Hervey  being  advised  by  his  phy- 
sician, for  the  benefit  of  his  health,  to  follow  the  plough, 
in  order  to  smell  the  fresh  earth,  frequently  accompanied 
this  ploughman  in  his  rural  employment.  Mr.  Hervey, 
understanding  the  ploughman  was  a  serious  person,  said 
to  him  one  morning,  '  What  do  you  think  is  the  hardest 
thing  in  religion  ?'  To  which  he  replied,  '  I  am  a  poor 
illiterate  man,  and  you,  sir,  are  a  minister.  I  beg  leave 
to  return  the  question.'  ^Then,'  said  Mr.  Hervey,  'I 
think  the  hardest  thing  is  to  deny  self;'  and  applauded 
at  some  length  this  instance  of  self-denial.  The  plough- 
man replied,  '  Mr.  Hervey,  you  have  forgotten  the  great- 
est act  of  the  grace  of  self-denial,  which  is  to  deny  our- 
selves of  a  proud  confidence  in  our  own  obedience,  for 
justification.'  In  repeating  this  story  to  a  friend,  Mr. 
Hervey  observed,  ^I  then  hated  the  righteousness  of 
Christ ;  I  looked  at  the  man  with  astonishment  and  dis- 
dain, and  thought  him  an  old  fool.  I  have  since  seen 
who  was  the  fool ;  not  the  wise  old  Christian,  but  the 
proud  James  Hervey." — Qheever. 

The  Rev.  C.  Simeon. — The  following  anecdote  is  re- 
lated of  him  in  the  Rev.  Abner  Brown's  "  Recollections 
of  his  Conversation  Parties."  Mr.  S.  said,  "I  once 
visited  a  poor  dying  woman.  I  asked  if  she  were  a  sin- 
ner. 'Yes,  a  great  one.'  She  must  repent.  '  So  I  do 
'^Tory  day.'  You  must  believe  in  Christ.  'I  do  with 
all  my  heart.'  You  must  pray  unceasingly  for  mercy. 
'  So  I  do.'  In  short,  whatever  I  advised,  she  told  me 
she  did  it.  At  last  I  said,  '  My  good  woman,  why  did 
you  deceive  me  ?  I  was  sent  for  to  visit  a  sinner,  but 
you  are  an  angel !     Don't  deceive  me  any  more,  for  you 


388  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.* 

are  certainly  an  angel;  you  do  everything  just  as  it 
ought  to  be  done !  A  sinner  would  find  out  some  sins 
in  everything  he  did ;  would  feel'  that  he  did  nothing 
well,  but  you  do  everything  well, — you  are  an  angel !' 
This  opened  the  poor  creature's  eyes,  and  was  blessed  to 
her  good,  and  made  the  means  of  awakening  her.  I 
hope  she  is  now  in  heaven." 

The  two  planks. — "  A  preacher  wishing  to  explain 
to  his  congregation  what  a  dangerous  delusion  those  per- 
sons are  in  who  seek  salvation,  partly  from  their  own 
works  and  partly  from  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  said 
to  them :  Suppose  it  is  needful  for  you  to  cross  a  river, 
over  which  two  planks  are  thrown.  One  is  perfectly 
new,  the  other  is  completely  rotten.  How  will  you  go  ? 
If  you  walk  upon  the  rotten  one,  you  are  sure  to  fall 
into  the  river.  If  you  put  one  foot  on  the  rotten  plank 
and  the  other  on  the  new  plank,  it  will  be  the  same ; 
you  will  certainly  fall  through  and  perish.  So  there  is 
only  one  method  left.  Put  both  your  feet  on  the  new 
plank.  Brethren,  the  rotten  plank  is  your  own  unclean 
self-righteousness.  He  who  trusts  in  it  must  perish  with- 
out remedy.  The  new  plank  is  the  eternal  saving  right- 
eousness of  Christ,  which  came  from  heaven,  and  is 
given  to  every  one  that  believeth  in\him." 

SELFISHNESS. 

— "  That  detestable  vice  which  no  one  will  forgive 
m  others,  and  no  one  is  without  in  himself." — Beeeher. 

— Like  the  sponge,  that  takes  up  all  in  itself  and 
gives  none  back  unless  squeezed,  or  it  have  more  than  it 
has  power  to  hold. 

"  He   who   lives   only   to   himself   and   consumes  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  389 

bounty  of  heaven  upon  his  lusts,  or  consecrates  it  to  the 
demon  of  avarice,  is  a  barren  rock  in  a  fertile  plain ; 
he  is  a  thorny  bramble  in  a  fruitful  vineyard ;  he  is  the 
grave  of  God's  blessings  ;  he  is  the  very  Arabia  Deserta 
of  the  moral  world.  And  if  he  is  highly  exalted  in 
wealth  or  power,  he  stands  inaccessible  and  strong,  like 
an  insulated  towering  cliiF,  which  exhibits  only  a  cold 
and  cheerless  prospect,  intercepts  the  genial  beams  of 
the  sun,  chills  the  vale  below  with  its  gloomy  shade,  adds 
fresh  keenness  to  the  freezing  blast,  and  tempts  down 
the  lightnings  of  angry  heaven.  How  different  this  from 
the  gently  rising  hill,  clothed  to  its  summit  with  fruits 
and  flowers,  which  attracts  and  receives  the  dews  of 
heaven,  and  retaining  only  sufficient  to  maintain  its  fer- 
tility, sends  the  remainder  in  a  thousand  streams  to  bless 
the  vales  which  lie  at  its  feet." — Payson. 

Plato  used  to  say,  "  I  was  not  born  for  myself,  for 
my  country  claims  a  part,  and  my  relations  claim  a  part, 
and  my  friends  claim  a  part." 

Tenderness  towards  oneself  and  harshness  towards 
others  is  often  the  same  thing. 

—  IS  sometimes  learnt  from  those  who  have  least 
of  it.  The  mother  who  is  so  unselfish  that  she  surren- 
ders all  her  time  and  pleasure  to  her  child,  fills  that  child's 
mind  with  an  exaggerated  idea  of  its  own  importance,  and 
makes  it  selfish,  though  that  is  the  last  thing  the  unselfish 
mother  would  desire. 

"Every  man  for  himself,  and  God  for  us  all,"  says 
the  proverb ;  but  where  every  man  is  for  himself,  the 
devil  will  have  all. 

"Live  as  near  as  you  can  to  Jesus,"  was  Mr.  Ber- 


390  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

ridgeV  Txcellent  advice  to  Mrs.  Wilberforce,  "but  daily- 
die  to  self." 

How  TO  KEEP  OUT  THE  MOTHS. — A  good  old  lady  gave 
the  best  receipt  to  her  niece,  whom  she  found  one  day 
examining  her  wardrobe.  The  receipt  was  copied  from 
an  old-fashioned  book,  with  the  title  obliterated,  but  the 
receipt  was  this:  "Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures 
upon  earth,  where  moth  and  rust  doth  corrupt,  and  where 
thieves  break  through  and  steal :  but  lay  up  for  yourselves 
treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither  moth  nor  rust  doth 
corrupt,  and  where  thieves  do  not  break  through  nor 
steal"  {Matt.  vi.  19,  20).  The  application  of  this  an- 
cient receipt  was  very  simple: — Look  over  the  wardrobe 
and  bring  out  all  that  can  be  spared — blankets  and 
shawls,  coats  and  cloaks,  and  send  them  to  the  poor  in 
time;  let  the  widow  and  the  destitute  have  them  before 
the  moths  have  begun  their  inroads.  "  He  that  hath  two 
coats  let  him  impart  to  him  that  hath  none"  (Luke  iii. 
11) ;  and  this  will  do  more  to  keep  out  moths  than  all  the 
cedar  closets  or  snuff  and  camphor  in  tke  world,  and  will 
be  more  likely,  if  done  in  a  Christian  generous  spirit,  to 
secure  the  blessing  of  Him  that  maketh  rich,  and  doubly 
sweeten  what  is  left. 

The  overreaching  cunning  of  the  selfishness  of  su- 
periors over  inferiors  was  well  exemplified  in  the  case  of 
the  white  man  and  the  Indian,  who  agreed  that  while 
hunting  they  would  share  the  game.  One  night  their 
bag  contained  a  fine  turkey  and  a  carrion  buzzard 
"Well,"  said  the  white  man,  "we  must  now  divide  what 
we  have  taken,  and  therefore,  if  you  please,  I  will  take 
the  turkey  and  you  shall  take  the  buzzard,  or  else  yoc 
may  take  the  buzzard  and  I  will  take  the  turkey."    "Ah," 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  391 

said  the  native,  shaking  his  black  shaggy  head,   ^'•ybu  no 
say  turkey  for  poor  I  once!'' 

The  devil's  wagons. — In  tlie  street  of  a  thriving 
village  stood  a  wagon,  to  which  four  horses  were  har 
nessed.  A  few  loose  boards  extended  from  one  axle  to 
the  other.  A  little  boy,  f6ii#  or  five  years  old,  was  set 
upon  them.  While  the  driver  was  called  aside  for  a  mo- 
ment, the  horses  took  fright  and  started  off,  running  furi- 
ously down  the  street.  Consternation  and  terror,  as 
usual,  spread  on  every  hand,  and  one  warm-hearted  im- 
pulsive woman,  a  mother,  who  saw  the  awful  peril  of  the 
child,  clasped  her  hands  in  agony,  and  called  with  all  her 
might  and  power,  "Stop  that  wagon  and  save  the  child. 
Stop  that  wagon — stop  it — stop  it."  An  old  icicle  in 
human  shape,  that  stood  by  her,  coldly  replied,  "  Silly 
woman,  don't  fret  yourself,  it  isn't  your  child!"  "I 
know  it,"  said  the  mother;  "but  it's  somebody's  child. 
Stop  it — oh,  stop  it."  Reader,  the  devil  has  his  wagons, 
thousands  of  them — himself  the  driver,  reins  and  whip 
in  hand.  And  somebody's  children  are  in  danger.  Oh, 
do  what  you  can  to  save  those  poor  children,  if  you  have 
any  sympathy  in  your  breast.  Up !  raise  the  cry  !  rush 
forward  before  it  be  too  late.  If  the  imperiled  child's 
own  mother  is  not  there,  is  there  no  one  who  will  take 
her  place? 

"  Is  self  thy  centre  ? — It  is  the  centre  of  that  vast 
circumference  where  lost  souls  meet." — J.  H.  Evans. 

SILENCE. 

'  "The  poet's  treasure — silence." — Cowper. 
Silence  is  a  thing  which  it  is  often  difficult  U,  keep  in 
exact  proportion  to  the  necessity  of  doin'-;  so. 


592  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

"  Give  not  thy  tongue  too  great  liberty,  lest  it  take 
thee  prisoner.  A  word  unspoken  is,  like  the  sword  in 
the  scabbard,  thine;  if  vented,  thy  sword  is  in  another's 
hand.  If  thou  desire  to  be  held  wise,  be  so  wise  as  tc 
hold  thy  tongue." — Quarles. 

The  closed  mouth  catches  no  flies. 

We  may  learn  a  lesson  on  silence  from  the  Bible,  aa 
the  Hon.  Robert  Boyle  says :  "  There  is  such  fulness  in 
that  book  that  oftentimes  it  says  much  by  saying  nothing ; 
and  not  only  its  expressions  but  its  silences  are  teaching ; 
like  the  dial,  on  which  the  shadow  as  well  as  the  light 
gives  us  information."  "Hence,"  as  one  says,  "where 
the  scripture  hath  no  tongue,  we  should  have  no  ear." 

Helen  Mason's  name  has  been  had  in  just  reputation 
in  the  Church,  for  her  heroic  work  in  Burmah.  It  is  said 
of  her,  "She  was  gentle  as  the  roe."  Her  motto  was, 
''To  love  and  he  silent;"  but  like  the  violet  betrayed  by 
its  own  fragrance,  her  works  have  made  her  known. 

Judge  Hale. — Buxton,  speaking  of  this  eminent 
Christian,  says — "For  a  time  I  feared  he  was  wanting 
in  experimental  religion,  as  he  seldom  spake  of  his  own 
spiritual  views  and  feelings ;  but  upon  better  acquaint- 
ance, I  found  that  I  was  mistaken.  He  had  heard  from 
many  in  his  time  so  much  of  hypocrisy  and  fanaticism, 
that  he  was  urged  towards  the  extreme  of  silence." 

SIN 

— "is  the  sickness  of  the  soul,  and  Christ  the  only 
physician  who  can  cure  it  of  the  leprosy  of  profaneness, 
the  fever  of  concupiscence,  the  dropsy  of  covetousness, 
the  tympany  of  pride,  the  lethargy  of  luke-warmness,  the 
frenzy  of  passion,  and  the  palsy  of  unbelief." — Mason. 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  393 

"There  is  no  sin  but  what  may  be  traced  to  unbelief. 
There  is  no  sin  a  man  can  be  tempted  to  but  he  will  find 
greater  comfort  in  resisting  than  in  indulging.  Then  a 
man  shows  himself  to  be  a  Christian  when  he  chooses 
rather  to  suffer  than  sin.  By  suffering  we  avoid  sinning ; 
but  by  sinning  we  cannot  avoid  suffering.  Get  this  prin- 
ciple into  your  hearts ;  there  is  nothing  got  by  sin  nor 
lost  by  holiness.  He  who  pleads  for  sin  is  an  advocate 
for  his  accuser.  If  sin  be  in  the  fashion  we  must  be 
out  of  it." — Ihid. 

"  There  is  an  ocean  of  corruption  in  every  natural 
man;  and  as  the  sea  receives  several  names  from  several 
coasts,  so  does  this  from  the  several  parts  and  faculties." 
— Olarkson. 

Sin  keeps  no  sabbaths. 

"Sin  is  but  a  hitter-sweet  at  best;  and  the  fine  colors 
of  the  serpent  do  by  no  means  make  amends  for  the 
smart  and  poison  of  the  sting." — South. 

"  He  that  hath  tasted  the  bitterness  of  sin  will  fear  to 
conjmit  it ;  and  he  that  hath  felt  the  sweetness  of  mercy 
will  fear  to  offend  it." — CharnocJc. 

"  Men  first  wound  their  consciences  and  then  sear 
them  by  repeated  acts  of  sin ;  as  you  know  that  ice  which 
is  at  the  first  so  tremulous  and  feeble,  that  it  will  not 
bear  a  pebble,  yet  by  a  few  days'  freezing  will  bear  a 
cart.     So  it  is  with  the  sinner." — Bates. 

"Every  sin  is  an  imitation  of  the  devil,  and  creates 
a  kind  of  hell  in  the  heart." — Hervey. 

"  No  sin  can  be  little,  because  there  is  no  little  God  to 
Bin  against." — Brooks. 

Worms  do  not  loathe  the  filth  on  which  they  feed. 

"  Ir  God  should  write  the  sins  of  men  on  their  fore- 


894  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

heads  in  visible  letters  our  streets  would  be  desolate  and 
the  world  a  wilderness.  He  that  had  slight  thoughts  of 
sin  never  had  great  thoughts  of  God." — Owen. 

"If  a  malefactor  for  his  punishment  should  be  ap- 
pointed to  carry  a  piece  of  wood  every  day  to  a  heap  to 
burn  him  to  death  twenty  years  after,  it  would  be  re- 
garded as  an  extreme  act  of  cruelty  and  misery.  Yet 
this  is  the  case  with  every  sinner,  who,  neglecting  repent- 
ance from  day  to  day,  does  thereby  actually  employ  him- 
self in  heaping  the  coals  of  God's  wrath  to  burn  his  soul 
in  hell  forever." — Perkins  on  Repentance. 

"  It  is  a  sure  sign  that  a  man  is  awakened  out  of 
his  sleep,  wh'en  he  sees  the  error  of  his  dream." — 
Bogatzky. 

"  Sin  taken  into  the  soul  is  like  liquor  poured  into  a 
vessel — so  much  of  it  as  it  fills  it  also  seasons.  The 
touch  and  the  tincture  go  together." — South. 

"  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  there  is  no  sin  we  ever 
commit  but  has  its  effects  upon  our  souls  in  after  years." 
— J.  H.  Evans.  ^ 

"  There  is  as  much  difference  between  the  sins  of 
believers  and  the  sins  of  carnal  men  as  between  a  meadow 
accidentally  overflowed  with  water  and  a  stagnant  marsh." 
— Illu8t7'ation8  of  Truth. 

"  Heart  sins  lie  as  so  many  worms  beating  and  gnaw- 
ing the  very  root  of  grace ;  whereas,  outward  sins,  any 
otherwise  than  as  they  proceed  from  the  heart,  are  but 
as  caterpillars  that  devour  only  the  verdure  and  flourish- 
ing of  grace." — Hopkins. 

"  Before  I  commit  a  sin  it  seems  to  me  so  shallow 
that  I  may  wade  through  it  dryshod  from  any  guilti- 
ness ;  but  when  I  have  committed  it,  it  often  seems  so 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHEEINGS.  395 

deep  that  I  cannot  escape  without  drowning." — Thomas 
Fuller. 

Who  would  think,  to  see  sinners  with  such  jovial, 
merry  faces,  that  they  have  so  wicked  a  heart  within 
them — so  deep  a  gulf  before  them — so  sharp  a  sword 
above  them  ? 

''  We  find  within  our  hearts  abominable  corruptions 
which  are  ever  marring  and  destroying  our  peace.  There 
is  a  '  body  of  sin'  within  us.  We  inhabit,  as  it  were, 
a  house  on  fire.  To  a  certain  extent  we  may  keep 
down  the  flames,  but  there  is  still  smouldering  within 
a  body  of  fire,  which,  without  great  watchfulness,  will 
burst  forth  afresh  and  reduce  everything  to  ruin." — 
Rev.  C.  Clayton. 

"  This  little  hand  of  mine,"  said  Mr.  Whitefield, 
when  preaching  one  bright  sunshiny  morning,  putting 
his  hand  before  his  eyes — "  this  little  hand  may  hide  the 
bright  shining  of  that  bright  sun  from  me :  so  one  allowed, 
one  cherished  sin  may  hide  the  clearest  truth  from  the 
hearts  of  the  carnal  and  unbelieving." 

The  harm  of  sin. — "  We  might  illustrate  the  evil  of 
sin  by  the  following  comparison : — Suppose  I  were  going 
along  a  street  and  were  to  dash  my  hand  through  a  large 
pane  of  glass,  what  harm  should  I  receive  ?  *  You  would 
be  punished  for  breaking  the  glass.'  'Would  that  be 
all  the  harm  I  should  receive  ?'  '  No  ;  your  hand  would 
be  cut  by  the  glass.'  Yes,  and  so  it  is  with  sin.  If  you 
break  God's  laws,  you  shall  be  punished  for  breaking 
them,  and  your  soul  is  hurt  by  the  very  act  of  breaking 
them." — Ivev.  J.  Inglis. 

The  Judas  tree. — There  is  a  very  striking  emblem 
of  the  work  of  sin  given  by  the  Judas  tree  or,  as  the 


896  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

Indians  call  it,  the  Red  Bud.  Early  in  the  spring  it 
may  be  seen  with  its  full  red  glowing  flowers  of  bright 
crimson.  It  blooms  before  the  leaves  appear,  and 
answers  well  where  transplanted  into  yards  and  pleasure 
grounds. 

There  are,  however,  two  peculiarities  about  the  Judas 
tree.  Its  brilliant  beauty  attracts  many  flies  and  insects 
about  it,  particularly  the  humble  bee.  But,  alas !  it 
only  allures  them  to  destroy.  It  is  a  deceitful  opiate 
and  deadly  poison ;  and  the  poor  insects — flies  and  bees 
— that  come  there  to  suck  nectar  or  gather  honey,  fall 
down  and  die  after  fluttering  a  little  while  among  its 
crimson  blossoms.  So  fatal  is  the  pleasure,  that  you 
may  see  the  ground  beneath  it  strewn  with  these  unfor- 
tunate creatures. 

Another  point  is,  it  bears  no  fruit.  Laden  wdth  bud 
and  bright  with  blossom,  it  bears  no  fruit. 

So  is  it  a  true  and  mournful  emblem  of  the  deceitful- 
ness  and  emptiness  of  sin.  In  appearance  it  somewhat 
resembles  the  peach  tree,  whose  fruit  is  so  delicious,  but 
it  is  only  in  appearance.  And  therefore  from  the  false 
and  deceptive  nature  of  the  tree,  it  has  been  called  by 
some  the  Judas  tree,  in  allusion  to  that  disciple  who 
was  a  deceitful  traitor  while  professing  to  be  an  actual 
friend. 

How  NEAR  CAN  WE  GO? — "An  old  gentleman  in  the 
county  of  Herts  advertised  for  a  coachman.  The  first 
who  applied  was  asked  how  near  he  could  drive  to  the 
edge  of  a  road  when  a  sloping  bank  presented  danger. 
He  replied,  ^To  an  inch.'  The  old  gentleman  desired 
him  to  leave  his  address,  adding  that  if  he  wished  for 
his  services  he  should  hear  from  him  in  a  day  or  two, 


ILLUSTKATIVE  GATHERINGS.  •        397 

but  that  he  thought  it  unlikely  he  would  answer.  Shortly 
afterwards,  a  second  applied,  who  underwent  the  same 
examination  as  the  former,  and  replied  to  the  same 
question  which  was  put  to  the  other  that  '  he  could  drive 
to  within  half  an  inch,'  and  often  had  done  it ;  he  also 
received  the  same  dismissal.  A  third  applied,  and  on 
being  asked  how  near  he  could  drive  to  the  edge  of  a 
sharp  declivity,  coolly  replied,  '  Really  I  do  not  know, 
sir,  having  never  tried,  for  it  has  always  been  my  maxim 
to  get  as  far  as  possible  from  such  danger,  and  I  have 
my  reward  in  my  safety  and  that  of  my  employers.' 
With  this  reply  the  old  gentleman  expressed  his  entire 
satisfaction,  and  informed  the  man  that  if  he  could  pro- 
cure a  proper  recommendation,  he  would  engage  his  ser- 
vices."— Illustrations  of  Truth. 

The  fatal  flower. — "  Travelers  who  visit  the  Falls 
of  Niagara  are  directed  to  a  spot,  in  the  margin  of  the 
precipice  over  the  boiling  current  below,  where  a  gay 
young  lady  a  few  years  since  lost  her  life.  She  was 
delighted  with  the  wonders  of  the  unrivaled  scene,  and 
ambitious  to  pluck  a  flower  from  a  clifi",  where  no  human 
hand  had  before  ventured,  as  a  memorial  of  the  cataract 
and  her  own  daring ;  she  leaned  over  the  verge,  and 
caught  a  glimpse  of  the  surging  waters  far  down  the 
battlement  of  rocks,  while  fear  for  a  moment  darkened 
her  excited  mind.  But  there  hung  the  lovely  blossom 
upon  which  her  heart  was  fixed;  and  she  leaned,  in  a 
delirium  ^f  intense  desire  and  anticipation,  over  the 
brink.  ^  Her  arm  was  outstretched  to  grasp  the  beautiful 
form  which  charmed  her  fancy ;  the  turf  yielded  to  the 
pressure  of  her  light  feet,  and  with  a  shriek  she  de- 
scended, like  a  falling  star,  to  the  rocky  shore,  and  was 

84 


/ 

398  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

borne  away  gasping  in  death.  How  impressively  doea 
this  tragical  event  illustrate  the  way  in  which  a  majority 
of  impenitent  sinners  perish  forever !  It  is  not  a  de- 
liberate purpose  to  neglect  salvation ;  but  in  pursuit  of 
imaginary  good,  fascinated  with  pleasing  objects  just  in 
the  future,  they  hghtly,  ambitiously,  and  insanely  ven- 
ture too  far.  They  sometimes  fear  the  result  of  desired 
wealth  or  pleasure;  they  seem  to  hear  the  thunder  of 
eternity  is  deep,  and  recoil  a  moment  from  the  allure- 
ment of  sin ;  but  the  solemn  pause  is  brief,  the  onward 
step  is  taken,  the  fancied  treasure  is  in  the  grasp,  when 
a  despairing  cry  comes  up  from  Jordan's  waves,  and  the 
soul  sinks  into  the  arms  of  the  second  death.  Oh,  every 
hour  life's  sands  are  sliding  from  beneath  incautious  feet, 
and  with  sin's  fatal  flower  in  the  unconscious  hand,  the 
trifler  goes  to  his  doom. 

"  The  requiem  of  each  departure  is  an  echo  of  the 
Saviour's  question,  '  What  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange 
for  his  soul?'  "    - 

"The  wages  or  sin  is  death"  (Rom.  vi.  23). — I 
heard  a  minister  not  long  since,  while  preaching  on  the 
nature  and  deceptive  influence  of  sin,  make  use  of  the 
following  illustration :  "  Suppose,"  said  the  preacher, 
"  an  individual  should  go  to  the  blacksmith  and  say  to 
him,  '  Sir,  I  wish  you  to  make  me  a  very  long  and  heavy 
chain  ;  here  are  the  dimensions ;  have  it  done  at  such  a 
time,  and  I  will  pay  you  the  cash  for  it.'  The  blacksmith 
is  pressed  with  other  and  more  important  work,  but  for  the 
sake  of  the  money  he  commences  the  chain,  and  after  toil- 
ing hard  many  days  finishes  it.  The  individual  calls. 
'  Have  you  made  that  chain  ?'  '  Yes,  sir,  here  it  is.'  '  That 
is  very  well  done.     A  good  chain ;    but  it  is  not  long 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  399 

enough!'  ^Why,  it  is  just  the  length  you  told  me  to 
make  it.'  ^  Oh,  yes,  yes  ;  but  I  have  concluded  to  have 
it  much  longer  than  at  first ;  work  on  it  another  week,  I 
will  then  call  and  pay  you  for  it.'  And  thus  flattered 
with  praise,  and  encouraged  with  the  promise  of  full  re- 
ward for  his  labor,  he  toils  on,  adding  link  to  link  till 
the  appointed  time  when  his  employer  calls  again,  and 
as  before  praises  his  work ;  but  still  he  insists  that  *'the 
chain  is  too  short.'  'But,'  says  the  blacksmith,  'I  can 
do  no  more.  My  iron  is  expended,  and  so  is  my  strength. 
I  need  the  pay  for  what  I  have  done,  and  can  do  no 
more  till  I  have  it !'  '  Oh,  never  mind ;  I  think  you 
have  the  means  of  adding  a  few  links  more,  the  chain 
will  then  answer  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  intended, 
and  you  shall  be  fully  rewarded  for  all  your  labor.' 
With  his  remaining  strength  and  a  few  scraps  of  iron 
he  adds  the  last  link  of  which  he  is  capable ;  then  says 
the  man  to  him,  '  The  chain  is  a  good  one ;  you  have 
toiled  long  and  hard  to  make  it ;  I  see  that  you  can  do 
no  more,  and  now  you  shall  have  your  reward.'  But 
instead  of  paying  the  money,  he  takes  the  chain,  binds 
the  laborer  hand  and  foot,  and  casts  him  into  a  furnace 
-of  fire  !  Such,"  said  the  preacher,  ''is  a  course  of  sin  ! 
It  promises  much,  but  its  reward  is  death :  and  each  sin 
is  an  additional  link  to  that  chain  which  will  confine  the 
transgressor  in  the  prison-house  of  hell !  '  WoWy  there- 
fore, be  ye  not  mockers,  lest  your  hands  he  made  strong.'  '* 
Pf-ovidentially,  there  was  in  the  congregation  that  day  a 
blacksmith,  who  had  lived  a  very  wicked  life.  He  was 
much  excited,  and  at  the  close  of  the  meeting  declared 
that  the  whole  discourse  had  been  directed  to  him ;  and 
he  wished  to  know  "  who  had  been  telling  the  preacher 


400  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

all  about  him."  The  preacher  had  never  even  heard 
that  there  was  such  a  man ;  but  in  the  course  of  the 
week,  he  had  the  pleasure  of  knowing  him  as  a  brother 
in  Christ. 

SLANDER. 

—  "tongue  murder."  "Murder  is  its  employment, 
innocence  its  prey,  and  ruin  its  sport." 

There  is  the  difference  of  only  a  single  letter  between 
^'words'  and  ''swords!''  There  is  often  as  little  differ- 
ence in  the  reality ! 

A  short  slander  will  sometimes  reach  further  than 
a  long  apology.  Thistle  seeds  soon  catch.  But  gen- 
erally in  the  end,  truth  will  come  forth  and  clear  her- 
self. 

Slanderers  are  like  flies,  that  leap  over  all  a  man's 
good  parts  to  light  only  upon  his  sores. 

"  The  WORTHIEST  PERSONS  are  frequently  attacked  by 
slanders,  as  we  generally  find  that  to  be  the  best  fruit 
which  the  birds  have  been  pecking  at." — Bacon. 

Slander  is  a  hitter  pill,  which  we  have  sometimes 
to  take.  It  will  not  be  much  felt,  if  we  swallow  it 
down  at  once ;  but  we  keep  foolishly  rolling  it  about 
in  the  mouth,  and  then  complain  of  its  nauseous  taste ! 

"  Calumny,"  says  Archbishop  Leighton,  "would  soon 
starve  and  die  of  itself,  if  nobody  took  it  in  and  gave  it 
lodging."  "  There  would  not,"  says  Bishop  Hall,  ''be 
so  many  open  mouths  if  there  were  not  so  many  op^n 
ears." 

Sparks  soon  die  out  and  do  no  harm,  if  there  bo 
nothing  they  can  take  hold  of. 

How  harmless   is   defamation   from   a   fellow-crea- 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  401 

ture  when  there  is  confirmation  by  the  Great  Crea- 
tor. 

Satan. — "The  Syrians  call  him,"  says  Leighton,  "an 
akal  kartza,  an  eater  of  slanders  or  calumny.  They  are 
a  dish  that  please  his  palate,  and  men  are  naturally  fond 
of  his  diet." 

The  slander-book. — What  a  red  mark  the  word  of 
God  sets  on  the  slanderer's  forehead,  when  it  calls  him  a 
backbiter  !  Many  a  child  goes  about  with  that  red  mark 
flaming  on  his  brow,  and  his  conscience  tells  him  that  it 
is  so.  We  have  need  to  look  well  to  it.  A  gentleman 
writes  that  he  once  saw  the  title  '  Slander-book'  printed 
on  the  binding  of  a  small  ledger.  On  examining  it,  he 
found  that  the  various  members  of  the  household  were 
charged  so  much  a  piece  for  each  slander.  The  accounts 
were  very  neatly  and  correctly  kept,  credits  entered,  &c., 
as  in  a  merchant's  office.  He  was  informed  that  this 
plan  of  fining  for  slander  originated  with  a  good  young 
girl,  with  a  view  to  prevent  evil  speaking  and  its  conse- 
quences. 

Youthful  as  she  was,  she  observed  the  wretched  ef- 
fects of  it  in  families  and  neighborhoods, — what  great 
fires  were  kindled  by  it,  what  sweet  fountains  were  em- 
bittered by  it ; — so  she  hit  upon  this  expedient  to 
knock  it  on  the  head.  Perhaps  others  might  take  the 
hint. 

I  have  seen  a  capital  rule  in  verse : — 

"  Believe  not  each  accusive  tongue, 
As  some  weak  people  do, 
But  ever  hope  tiiat  story  wrong 
Which  ought  not  to  be  true." 

If  we  all  did  this,  false  witnesses  would  be  starved. 

34* 


402  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

Plato. — When  one  told  him  that  the  boys  in  the  street 
were  laughing  at  his  singing,  "Ay,"  said  he,  "then  1 
must  learn  to  sing  better."  Being  at  another  time  re- 
minded that  he  had  many  aspersers,  "It  is  no  matter," 
said  he,  "I  will  live  so  that  none  shall  believe  them." 
And  once  again,  being  told  that  a  friend  was  speaking 
detractingly  of  him,  he  replied,  "I  am  confident  he 
would  not  do  it  if  he  had  not  some  reason." 

The  Countess  of  Warwick  .used  to  say.  The  best 
shield  against  slanders  is  so  to  live  that  no  one  will  be- 
lieve them. 

Erederick  the  Great. — A  lady  once  complained  to 
him  that  her  husband  treated  her^badly.  "That,"  said 
the  Emperor,  "is  no  business  of  mine."  "But,"  said 
the  lady,  "he  speaks  ill  of  you."  "That,"  said  the 
Emperor,  "is  no  business  of  yours." 

Peter  the  Great,  when  any  one  was  speaking  ill  of 
another  in  his  presence,  would  shortly  interrupt  him, 
and  say,  "Well,  now,  but  has  he  not  a  bright  side? 
Come,  tell  me  what  you  have  noticed  excellent  in  him. 
It  is  easy  to  splash  mud,  but  I  would  rather  help  a  man 
to  keep  his  coat  clean." 

Augustine  kept  upon  his  table  this  inscription : 
"  Let  him  who  loves  to  speak  evil  of  the  absent  know 
that  this  table  is  unfit  for  him;"  and  none  of  his 
guests,  not  even  the  highest,  were  allowed  to  transgress 
this  rule. 

Bishop  Beveridge  made  this  rule  for  his  own  adop- 
tion. "  I  resolve  never  to  speak  of  any  man's  virtues 
before  his  face,  nor  of  his  faults  behind  his  back." 

The  Rev.  Cotton  Mather  was  remarkable  for  the 
sweetness  of  his  temper.     He  took  some  interest  in  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  403 

political  concerns  of  his  country,  and  on  this  account, 
as  well  as  because  he  faithfully  reproved  iniquity,  he  had 
many  enemies,  and  many  abusive  letters  were  sent  him, 
all  of  which  he  tied  up  in  a  packet,  and  wrote  upon  the 
cover,  ''Libels! — Father,  forgive  them.'' 

The  Rev.  B.  Jacobs  of  Cambridge-port  could,  when 
necessary,  administer  reproof  very  forcibly,  though  the 
gentleness  of  his  character  was  always  seen  in  the  man- 
ner in  which  it  was  done.  Some  young  ladies  at  his 
house  were  one  day  talking  about  one  of  their  female 
friends.  As  he  entered  the  room,  he  heard  the  epithets 
"odd,"  "singular,"  &c.,  applied.  He  asked  and  was 
told  the  name  of  the  young  lady  in  question,  and  then 
said,  very  gravely,  "  Yes,  she  is  an  odd  young  lady ;  she 
is  a  very  odd  young  lady ;  I  consider  her  extremely 
singular."  He  then  added  very  impressively,  "  She  was 
never  heard  to  speak  ill  of  an  absent  friend."  The  re- 
buke was  not  forgotten  by  those  who  heard  it. 

BoERHAAVE. — The  famous  Boerhaave  was  not  one 
easily  moved  by  detraction.  He  used  to  say,  "  The 
sparks  of  calumny  will  be  presently  extinct  of  themselves, 
unless  you  blow  them."  It  was  a  good  remark  of 
another  that  "  the  malice  of  ill  tongues  cast  upon  a  good 
man,  is  only  like  a  mouthful  of  smoke  blown  upon  a 
diamond,  which  though  it  clouds  its  beauty  for  the 
present,  yet  it  is  easily  rubbed  off,  and  the  gem  restored, 
with  little  trouble  to  its  owner." 

SPIRIT— THE  HOLY, 

THE  HEART  OF  THE  CHURCH. — "  Though  Christ 

be  the  Head,  yet  is  the  Holy  Ghost  the  Heart  of  tho 


404  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

Church,  from  whence  the  vital  spirits  of  grace  and  holi- 
ness are  issued  out  into  the  quickening  of  the  body 
mystical. ' ' — Seylyn. 

Christ's  administrator.—"  The  Holy  Spirit 

is  Christ's  administrator,  by  the  Father  and  the  Son's  ap- 
pointment, and  he  will  be  sure  to  give  every  soul 
what  Christ  has  left  them  in  his  will  and  Testa- 
ment." 

THE  advocate  WITHIN. — "  There  are  two  sorts 

of  advocates ;  the  one  plead  before  the  judges,  the  other 
are  consulting  advocates,  who  instruct  and  advise  their 
clients.  Jesus  is  an  Advocate  of  the  first  of  these 
classes.  He  is  our  pleading  Advocate  before  the  Judge. 
But  the  Holy  Ghost  is  our  chamber  Councillor,  who  ad- 
vises, instructs,  and  comforts  us,  gives  us  courage  to 
address  ourselves  to  God,  boldness  to  speak  to  him  so 
that  we  may  prevail.-  Happy  are  we  in  having  two  such 
Advocates,  one  of  whom  pleads  for  us  in  heaven,  and 
the  other  teaches  us  to  form  our  requests  on  earth." — 
Buhosc. 

"The    spirit    of    truth."  —  "As   the    Holy 

Spirit  cannot  dissemble,  so  he  cannot  flatter  us.  .  .  Flat- 
tery is  as  a  glass  for  a  fool  to  look  upon,  and  behold 
that  shape  which  he  hath  already  drawn,  and  please  him- 
self in  it  because  it  is  returned  upon  him  by  reflection ; 
and  so  he  becometh  more  a  fool  than  he  was  before.  It 
is  the  fool's  echo,  by  which  he  heareth  himself  at  the 
rebound,  and  thinketh  the  wise  man  spoke  to  him.  Flat- 
tery is  the  ape  of  charity.  .  .  .  That  Spirit  reproveth 
drunkenness,  though  in  a  Noah ;  adultery,  though  in  a 
Peter.  His  precepts  are  plain ;  his  law  is  in  thunder ; 
his  threatenings  are  earnest  and  vehement.     What  he 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  405 

writeth  is  not  in  a  dark  character :  thou  may  est  run  and 
read  it.  He  calleth  not  great  plagues,  peace ;  nor  op 
pression,  law ;  nor  camels,  gnats ;  nor  great  sins,  trifles ; 
but  he  setteth  all  our  sins  in  order  before  us.  He 
calleth  Adam  from  behind  the  bush,  and  striketh  Ananias 
dead  for  his  hypocrisy." — Farindon, 

His    OPERATIONS    ESSENTIAL. 

What  use  is  the  compass  to  the  mariner  without  the  light  to  see  it  ? 
or  the  sail  of  the  ship  without  the  wind  to  fill  it  ?  or  the  lamp  with- 
out the  oil  ? 


-VARIED. 


"  The  Spirit  of  God  in  Christiana  is  like  an  organ  ;  one  man  is  one 
stop  ;  another,  another;  the  sound  is  different,  the  instrument  the  same, 
but  music  in  ali." — T.  Adams. 

"  Mark  the  rain  that  falls  from  above ;  the  same  shower  that  drops 
out  of  one  cloud  increaseth  sundry  plants  in  a  garden,  and  severally, 
according  to  the  condition  of  every  plant.  In  one  stalk  it  makes  a 
rose,  in  another  a  violet ;  diverse  in  a  third,  and  sweet  in  all.  So  the 
Spirit  works  its  multifarious  effects  in  several  complexions  and  all 
according  to  the  increase  of  God." — Jeremy  Taylor. 

PERSONAL. 

Every  flower  has  its  own  sunbeam  and  every  leaf  its  own  dewdrop. 


ALL  PERVADING. 


Like  the  sap  in  the  tree,  rising  up  the  tree  softly  and  silently,  and 
diffusing  its  life  to  the  furthest  leaf  of  the  remotest  branch ;  or  the 
blood  in  our  body,  filling  every  vein  and  artery  with  life  and  warmth. 

"In  vain  do  the  inhabitants  of  London  go  to  their 
conduits  for  supply  unless  the  man  who  has  the  master- 
key  turns  the  water  on ;  and  in  vain  do  we  think  to 
quench  our  thirst  at  ordinances,  unless  God  communicates 
the  living  water  of  his  Spirit." — Salter. 

"Our  Saviour  was  born,  crucified,  and  died  for  us, 
that  by  his  death  1  e  might  destroy   death.     And  when 


406  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

his  body,  as  a  cluster  of  ripe  grapes,  was  trodden  in  the 
wine-press  of  the  cross,  the  Holy  Spirit  was  sent  to  pre- 
pare our  hearts,  that  the  new  wine  of  his  divinity  might 
be  received  into  new  bottles.  First,  that  the  hearts 
should  be  made  clean,  that  the  wine  poured  in  might  not 
be  polluted ;  and  then  sealed,  that  the  wine  poured  in 
might  not  be  lost." — Augustine. 

"  Quench  NOT  the  Spirit"  (1  Thess.  v.  19). — "A 
man  has  lost  his  way  in  a  dark  and  dreary  mine.  By  the 
light  of  one  candle,  which  he  carries  in  his  hand,  he  is 
groping  for  the  road  to  sunshine  and  to  home.  That 
light  is  essential  to  his  safety.  The  mine  has  many  wind- 
ing passages  in  which  he  may  be  hopelessly  bewildered. 
Here  and  there  marks  have  been  made  in  the  rocks  to 
point  out  the  true  path,  but  he  cannot  see  them  without 
that  light.  Inhere  are  many  deep  pits  into  which,  if  un- 
wary, he  may  suddenly  fall,  but  he  cannot  avoid  danger 
without  that  light.  Should  it  go  out  he  must  soon  stum- 
ble, fall,  perish.  Should  it  go  out,  that  mine  must  be  his 
^  tomb.  How  carefully  he  carries  it !  How  anxiously  he 
shields  it  from  sudden  gusts  of  air,  from  water  dropping 
on  it,  from  everything  that  might  quench  it.  Reader, 
the  case  described  is  your  own.  You  are  like  that  lonely 
wanderer  in  the  mine.  Does  he  diligently  keep  a-light 
the  candle  on  which  his  life  depends  ?  Much  more  earn- 
estly should  you  give  heed  to  the  warning,  '  Quench  not 
the  .Spirit.'  Sin  makes  our  road  both  dark  and  danger- 
ous. If  God  gave  us  no  light,  we  should  never  find  our 
way  to  the  soul's  sunny  home  of  holiness  and  heaven. 
We  must  despair  of  ever  reaching  our  Father's  house. 
We  must  perish  in  the  darkness  into  which  we  have  wan- 
dered.    But  he  givey  his  Spirit  to  enlighten,  guide,  and 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  407 

cheer  us.  If  that  light  burns  dimly,  our  way  becomes 
more  gloomy  and  perilous  We  go  astray  from  the  right 
path."— i^e?;.  JSr.  mil 

Reader,  have  you  the  Spirit? — "The  indwelling 
of  God  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  common  mark  of  all  be- 
lievers in  Christ.  It  is  the  Shepherd's  mark  of  the  flock 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  distinguishing  them  from  the  rest  of 
the  world.  It  is  the  goldsmith's  stamp  on  the  genuine 
sons  of  God  which  separates  them  from  the  dross  and 
mass  of  false  professors.  It  is  the  King's  own  seal  on 
those  who  are  his  peculiar  people,  proving  them  to  be  his 
own  property.  It  is  the  earnest  which  the  Redeemer 
gives  to  his  believing  disciples  while  they  are  in  the  body, 
as  a  pledge  of  the  full  redemption  yet  to  come  on  the 
resurrection  morning.  This  is  the  case  of  all  believers. 
They  all  have  the  Spirit."— i^ev.  J.  0,  Ryle. 

STEALING. 

"  Thou  SHALT  not  steal"  {Ex.  xx.  15). — The  first 
meeting  at  the  Shoreditch  Bible  Association  was  held  in 
the  church,  which  was  very  much  crowded.  Some  weeks 
afterwards,  the  collectors  called  on  a  widow,  who  kept  a 
small  grocer's  shop,  for  a  subscription,  which  she  had  al- 
ways paid  very  cheerfully.  As  they  were  going  away, 
she  said,  "  Gentlemen,  I  have  got  a  young  man,  a  lodger, 
who  is  always  poring  over  his  Bible,  I  dare  say  he  would 
subscribe."  The  collectors  were  introduced  to  him  to 
solicit  his  subscription.  He  answered,  "  I  certainly  will ;" 
and  gave  them  a  guinea,  and  desired  them  to  put  down 
his  name  as  a  subscriber  of  sixpence  a  week.  The  gen- 
tlemen were  astonished,  and  hesitated  at  taking  so  much, 
and  wished  to  return  a  part.     He  answered,  "No,  I  owe 


408  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

mj  all  to  the  Shoreditch  Bible  Association."  Sometime 
afterwards,  the  committee  wished  to  increase  its  number. 
This  young  man  was  proposed  and  accepted.  But  when 
the  matter  was  mentioned  to  him,  he  warmly  replied,  "No, 
gentlemen,  you  must  pardon  me — I  am  not  worthy  to 
form  a  part  of  your  committee.  If  you  want  more  money, 
I  will  gladly  give  it ;  but  to  act  on  your  committee  I  can- 
not." They  in  vain  pressed  the  matter,  and  wished  to 
know  the  reasons.  About  a  year  after,  he  requested  his 
landlady  to  desire  the  gentlemen  to  wait  upon  him  when 
they  called  (he  had  regularly  paid  his  subscription  through 
the  medium  of  his  landlady),  as  he  wanted  to  speak  to 
them;  which  they  did.  "Now,  gentlemen,"  said  he,  "my 
lips  are  unsealed.  I  take  my  departure  for  America  this 
week.  Here  are  five  guineas.  I  will  now  tell  you  my 
short  history.  Two,  years  ago,  I  was  one  of  the  most 
profligate  young  men  in  the  city  of  London.  I  was  a 
common  pickpocket.  At  your  anniversary,  seeing  the 
church  crowded,  I,  with  several  of  my  companions  in 
iniquity,  entered  in  order  to  pursue  our  sinful  practices. 
From  the  crowded  state  of  the  church  we  were  separated. 
I  got  into  the  middle  aisle,  just  in  front  of  the  speakers. 
The  first  words  I  caught  were,  'Thou  shalt  not  steal.' 
My  attention  was  fixed ;  my  conscience  was  touched ;  and 
tears  began  to  flow.  In  vain  did  my  companions  make 
their  signals  to  commence  our  operations.  As  soon  as 
the  meeting  closed  I  hurried  away,  threw  myself  into  the 
first  coach  I  found,  drove  to  my  lodgings  in  the  west  end 
of  the  town,  paid  my  rent,  took  away  all  my  things,  and 
came  into  this  part  of  the  city,  in  order  to  hide  myself 
from  my  companions;  and  providentially  found  this  house. 
I  immediatelv  inquired  for  a  Bible;  and  for  the  first  time 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  409 

in  my  life  began  to  read  it.  I  found  my  convictions  of 
the  evil  of  my  conduct  increased;  and  I  hope  I  have  now 
found  peace  and  rest  in  believing  on  that  Saviour  whom 
the  Bible  reveals." 

SUBMISSION  TO  GOD'S  WILL. 

^'Believers  should  be  like  sheep,  who  change  their 
pasture  at  the  will  of  the  shepherd;  or  like  vessels,  that 
stand  to  be  filled  or  emptied  at  the  will  of  their  owner." 
—  W.  Seeker. 

'^  If  THOU  wilt  be  a  part  of  Christ's  building,  you 
must  be  content  with  Christ's  hewing." — Teate. 

The  impatient  patient  only  makes  the  surgeon  more 
severe. 

''Bless  God  for  every  twig  of  his  rod,  every  drop  m 
his  cup.  He  holds  the  rod  and  the  cup  in  the  same  hand 
by  which  he  gives  you  Jesus  Christ;  yea,  he  afilicts  you 
with  the  same  love,  with  which  he  gives  you  any  good." 
— Beadle. 

"  It  is  a  great  mercy  to  want  that  patiently  which  God 
denies  justly,  and  to  use  that  wisely  which  God  bestows 
bountifully.  God's  measure  is  ever  best ;  so  much  health, 
and  no  more ;  so  much  liberty,  and  no  more ;  so  much 
riches,  and  no  more." — Ihid. 

''A  well-tuned  heart  must  have  all  its  strings  and 
all  its  afi'ections  ready,  to  answer  every  touch  of  God's 
finger." — Owen. 

"  There  may  be  dictating  even  in  asking  for  spiritual 
blessings,  when  we  ask  for  them  forgetting  the  channel 
in  which  God  ordinarily  dispenses  them ;  there  is  a 
forgetfulness  of  '•according  to  his  wilV  " — J.  H.  Evans. 

"  Never  dictate  to  the  Lord. — I  want  joy,  I  want 

35 


410  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

triumph,  hath  something  of  dictation  in  it;  aye  more, 
something  of  rebellion  too." — Ibid. 

"When  the  flail  of  afiliction  is  upon  me,  let  me  not 
be  the  chaff  that  flies  in  thy  face,  but  let  me  be  the  corn 
that  lies  at  thy  feet." 

"What  strange  servants  some  Christians  are — 
always  at  work  for  themselves,  and  never  doing  any  thin  n- 
for  him  whom  they  call  their  Master !  And  what  sub- 
jects !  ever  desiring  to  take  the  reins  of  government  into 
their  own  hands." — JSfevins. 

Luther. — It  was  a  brave  speech  of  the  great  Re- 
former, when  he  was  asked  where  he  would  be,  if  the 
Emperor  should  with  all  his  forces  fall  upon  the  Elector 
of  Saxony :  Aut  in  ccelo  aut  sub  coelo  (either  in  heaven 
or  under  heaven). 

Rutherford  very  beautifully  writes — "  It  is  a  good 
sign  when  the  Lord  blows  off  the  blossoms  of  our  froward 
hopes  in  this  life,  and  tops  the  branches  of  our  worldly 
joys  to  the  very  root,  on  purpose  that  they  should  not 
thrive.  Lord,  spoil  my  fool's  heaven  in  this  life,  that  I 
may  be  saved  forever." 

Dr.  Payson,  when  one  asked  him  if  he  saw  any 
particular  reasons  for  some  dispensation, — "No,"  re- 
plied he,  "  but  /  am  as  well  satisfied  as  if  I  iould  9€g 
a  thousand.  God's  will  is  the  very  perfection  of 
reason." 

Mr.  Adams,  a  worthy  Quaker  of  Philadelphia,  on  a 
visit  to  a  lady  whom  he  found  sitting  on  a  sofa,  six 
months  after  the  death  of  her  husband,  in  deep  sorrow, 
approached  her  with  much  solemnity,  and  thus  faithfully 
addressed  her :  "  So,  friend,  I  see  thou  hast  not  yet 
forgiven  God  Almighty."     This  tiniely  reproof  had  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  411 

intended  effect,  and  restored  the  lady  to  a  becoming  sub- 
mission to  God's  will. 

"Nearer,  my  God,  to  thee." — "A  Christian  friend 
visiting  a  good  man  under  distress  from  an  afflictive 
dispensation,  which  he  bore  with  much  patience  and 
composure,  asked  him  how  he  was  enabled  to  comfort 
himself.  The  good  man  replied :  '  The  distress  I  am 
under  is  indeed  severe,  but  I  find  it  lightens  the  stroke 
to  creep  near  to  him  that  handles  the  rod;'  and  then 
added,  'but  where  else  save  in  the  religion  of  Christ 
could  such  a  sufferer  find  such  support?'" — Denton  8 
Anecdotes. 

The  CAGEn  bird.' — Gotthold  had  kept  a  singing  bird 
for  some  time  in  a  cage,  so  that  at  last  it  became  habitu- 
ated to  its  prison,  and  not  only  warbled  its  cheerful  and 
pleasant  note,  but  even  when  the  door  was  opened, 
showed  no  desire  to  escape.  Observing  this,  he  could 
not  help  saying  to  himself:  "Ah  me!  would  that  I  could 
learn  from  this  bird  contentment  with  my  condition,  and 
submission  to  the  Divine  will !  would  that  I  were  habitu- 
ated to  the  ways  and  doings  of  my  God,  and  believed 
in  my  heart  that  his  designs  towards  me  cannot  but  be 
good!  This  little  bird  is,  indeed,  imprisoned,  but  it 
receives  abundance  of  food ;  and  therefore  it  is  content, 
hops  about  upon  the  perch,  sings  its  song,  and  has  no 
^desire  to  change  its  condition.  Even  so  God  often 
environs  me  with  divers  crosses  and  straits,  but  never 
yet  has  left  me  destitute  of  comfort  or  succor.  Why 
then  am  I  not  happy?  why  do  not  I  sing,  and  thank 
him  with  a  joyful  heart  even  in  the  midst  of  tribulation? 
one  feels  constrained,  as  Luther  expresses  it,  to  lift  the 
hat  to  such  a  bird  and  say,   'Dear  doctor,  I  must  con- 


412  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

fess  that  I  greatly  lack  your  skill.  You  sleep  by  night 
in  your  little  nest,  undisturbed  by  care.  In  the  morning 
you  rise,  cheerful  and  merry,  take  your  seat  upon  tht 
perch,  warble  your  song  of  praise  and  gratitude  to  God, 
and  then  seek  and  find  your  food.'  Well  then,  my  God, 
I  too  will  be  content  and  happy,  and  wish  for  nothing 
but  what  thou  wilt. 

"From  my  cross,  my  burden,  my  adversity,  I  will 
not  ask  to  be  relieved  until  it  please  thee  to  relieve  me. 
Nay,  I  have  no  desire  even  to  be  in  heaven,  so  long  as 
it  is  thy  pleasure  that  I  should  serve  thee  and  thy 
Church  in  this  life  of  misery  and  toil.  To  me  let  thy 
will  be  in  heaven  ;  thy  counsel  wisdom  ;  thy  good  plea- 
sure, satisfaction  !  The  only  wish  I  have  is,  that  it  may 
be  well  with  me  in  time  and  eternity.  But,  as  this  my 
wish  is  also  thy  will,  our  end  and  aim  are  one  and  the 
same,  and  it  is  only  about  the  ways  and  means  of  attain- 
ing it  that  we  sometimes  disagree.  "  No  harm,  however, 
is  done,  although  the  way  thou  leadest  me  is  different 
from  that  which  my  folly  reckons  good,  provided  thou 
leadest  me  well,  and  I  secure  the  object  of  my  desire." 
— GottJiold's  Emblems. 

"  Submit  yourselves  therefore  to  God"  (Jas.  iv. 
7). — "  Who  has  not  found  the  difficulty  of  pressing  home 
this  text  in  visiting  the  poor  when  one  finds  them  over- 
whelmed with  cares  and  troubles,  hardened  and  dull,  by 
striving  against  grief  and  sickness  in  their  own  strength, 
and  only  full  of  impatient  wishes  to  be  well,  or  out  of 
affliction  again  ? 

"Having  returned  from  a  visit  to  a  poor  widow  in 
such  circumstances,  I  felt  that  I  had  utterly  failed  in 
my  attempts  to  comfort  ^r  uplift  her  heart;    and  sat 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  413 

down  dispirited,  to  think  how  I  could  best  reach  her 
case.  A  robin  just  then  happened  to  fly  into  the  room, 
and  in  its  efforts  to  escape  again,  dashed  itself  madly 
against  the  walls  and  ceiling,  until  its  poor  little  head 
and  wings  were  sore  and  bleeding.  On  my  attempting 
to  catch  and  set  it  free,  it  only  redoubled  its  frantic 
efforts,  and  when  in  my  hand,  struggled  so  violently,  as 
only  to  hurt  >  its  bruised  sides  more.  Ah !  I  thought, 
thus  it  is  with  that  poor  widow, — with  us  all,  when  the 
Lord  '  straitens'  us  with  trouble.  We  dash  .and  wound 
our  poor  hearts  against  the  firm  wall  of  his  will;  we 
think  of  nothing  but  escape,  and  struggle  madly  against 
the  kind  and  most  gentle  hand  that  only  holds  us  with 
its  'wholesome  strength,'  whose  'end'  and  aim  is  but  to 
restore  us  to  the  bright  open  air  of  his  mercies  that  we 
may  sun  our  hearts  with  his  presence,  and  wing  our  way 
more  freely  toward  himself. 

"I  returned,  read  the  text  again,  and  applied  my 
illustration  as  simply  as  'possible  to  the  poor  woman. 
Presently  the  dull  eye  began  to  brighten,  the  hard  coun- 
tenance to  grow  tender,  and  tears  dropped  on  the  poor 
worn  cheek,  as  she  murmured  a  promise  that  she  would 
hope  for  the  future,  and  try  and  trust  the  wise  hand 
which  held  her." — Evangelical  Magazine. 

SWEARING  REPROVED. 

"  The  swearer's  mouth  is  blackened  by  the  soot  of 
hell." — Hopkins. 

"  Others  serve  the  devil  for  pay,  but  cursers  and 
swearers  are  volunteers  who  get  nothing  for  their  pay." 
. — Boston. 

"  Swearing  is  a  sin  that  hath  more  malignancy  in 
35  * 


414  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

it  against  God,  by  how  mucli  the  less  is  the  temptation 
to  it.  I  verily  believe  that  if  God  had  never  made  the 
third  commandment,  there  would  never  have  been  so 
many  oaths  in  the  world ;  but  it  springs  from  a  mere 
malignancy  of  spirit  in  man  against  God  because  he  has 
forbidden  it,  for  no  profit  can  arise  from  the  practice.'* 
— Burroughs. 

—  From  the  pulpit. — Chrysostom,  in  some  sixteen 
continued  homilies,  if  not  more,  whatsoever  his  text  was, 
always  concluded  by  a  solemn  warning  against  swearing, 
so  deeply  did  he  feel  the  malignity  of  the  sin.  And 
when  some  pleaded  custom,  he  said,  "  If  you  ^ould  but 
punish  it  thus,  that  the  servant  or  child  that  swore  an 
oath  should  not  dine  that  day,  you  would  go  far  to  put 
a  stop  to  it ;  yet,  saith  he,  the  command  of  God  is  less 
efficacious !" 

Louis  IX.  of  France  punished  any  one  who  was  con- 
victed of  swearing,  by  searing  their  lips  with  a  hot  iron, 
and  when  some  complained  that  the  punishment  was  too 
severe,  he  replied,  "  I  would  to  God  that  by  searing  my 
own  lips  I  could  banish  out  of  my  realm  all  abuse  of 
oaths." 

"The  language  of  Canaan.''-^-"  A  thoughtless,  con- 
ceited young  man  was  boasting  of  the  number  of  lan- 
guages he  knew.  In  French  he  was  a  complete  Parisian ; 
Spanish  and  Portuguese  were  as  familiar  to  him  as  his 
old  gloves.  In  Italy  he  had  passed  for  a  native.  Now 
and  then  he  popped  out  an  oath,  swearing  that  he  thought 
he  knew  almost  all  languages !  An  elderly  man  who  had 
listened  attentively  to  his  address,  suddenly  stopped  him 
by  asking  him  if  he  were  at  all  acquainted  with  'the 
language  of  Canaan?'" — Qopes  Anecdotes, 


ILLUSTEATIVE   GATHERINGS.  415 

A  WORD  IN  SEASON. — "A  profane  coachman  pointing 
to  one  of  his  horses,  said  to  a  pious  traveler,  'That  horse, 
sir,  knows  when  I  swear  at  him.'  'Yes,'  replied  the  tra- 
veler, 'and  so  does  One  above.'  The  coachman  seemed 
to  feel  the  reproof,  and  immediately  became  silent." — 
Ibid. 

The  pious  negro. — "  A  certain  American  planter  had 
a  favorite  domestic  negro,  who  always  stood  opposite  to 
him  when  waiting  at  table.  His  master  often  took  the 
name  of  God  in  vain  when  the  negro  immediately  made  a  low 
and  solemn  bow.  On  being  asked  why  he  did  so,  he  replied, 
that  he  never  heard  that  great  name  mentioned  but  it 
filled  his  whole  soul  with  reverence  and  awe.  Thus, 
without  offence,  he  cured  his  master  of  a  criminal  and 
pernicious  custom." — Ibid. 

"KiLSTEiN,  a  pious  German  minister,  once  heard  a 
laboring  man  use  the  most  awful  curses  and  imprecations 
in  a  fit  of  passion,  without  reproving  him  for  it.  This 
so  troubled  him  that  he  could  scarcely  sleep  the  following 
night.  In  the  morning  he  arose  early,  soon  saw  the  man 
coming  along,  and  addressed  him  as  follows : — '  My  friend, 
it  is  you  I  am  waiting  to  see.' 

"'You  are  mistaken,'  replied  the  man,  'you  have  never 
seen  me  before.' 

"'Yes,  I  saw  you  yesterday,'  said  Kilstein,  'whilst  re- 
turning from  your  work,  and  heard  you  praying.' 

"'What!  heard  me  pray  ?'  said  the  man,  'lam  sure 
now  that  you  are  mistaken,  for  I  never  prayed  in  my 
life.' 

'"And  yet,'  calmly  but  earnestly  replied  the  minister, 
'if  God  had  heard  your  prayer  you  would  not  be  here, 
but  in  hell;  for  I  heard  you  beseeching  God  that  he 


416  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

might  strike  jou  with  blindness,  and  condemn  you  to  hell 
fire.' 

"The  man  turned  pale,  and  tremblingly  said,  ^Dear 
sir,  do  you  call  this  prayer?  yes,  it  is  true,  I  did  this 
very  thing.' 

"'Now,  my  friend,'  continued  Kilstein,  'as  you  ac- 
knowledge it,  it  is  my  duty  to  beseech  you  to  seek  with 
the  same  earnestness  the  salvation  of  your  soul,  as  you 
have  hitherto  its  damnation,  and  I  will  pray  to  God  that 
he  will  have  mercy  on  you.'  From  this  time  the  man 
regularly  attended  upon  the  ministry  of  Kilstein,  and  ere 
long  was  brought  in  humble  repentance  to  Christ  as  a 
true  believer. 

"A  word  in  season  how  good  is  it!"  "Be  instant  in 
season,  and  out  of  season ;  rebuke,  reprove,  exhort,  with 
all  long-suffering  and  doctrine." — G-erman  Reformed 
Messenger. 

SYMPATHY 

—  between  two  or  more  persons  must  have  some  com- 
mon object.  Luther  used  to  say,  "He  that  loves  not 
music,  cannot  be  loved  by  Luther." 

"As  IN  the  electric  shock,  every  one  feels  the  same 
shock  who  holds  the  same  chain ;  or,  as  in  the  singular 
acoustic  law  by  which  several  instruments  have  a  sympa- 
thetic vibration,  so  that  if  one  note  be  struck  violently  on 
one  there  will  be  a  faint  vibration  in  the  other ;  or  like 
the  still  more  delicate  and  mysterious  tracery  of  nerves 
which  run  throughout  the  whole  human  body,  the  mean- 
est member  cannot  suffer  without  all  the  members  feeling 
with  it." 

A  POWERFUL  MEANS    OF    LESSENING    SORROW  AND    IN- 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  417 

CREASING  HAPPINESS. — "A  friend  shares  my  sorrow,  and 
makes  it  but  a  moiety;  but  he  swells  my  joy  and  makes 
it  double.  For  so  two  channels  divide  the  river,  and 
lessen  it  into  rivulets,  and  make  it  fordable  and  apt  to  be 
drunk  up  at  the  first  revels  of  the  Sirian  star ;  but  two 
torches  do  not  divide  but  increase  the  flame ;  and  though 
my  tears  are  the  sooner  dried  up  when  they  run  upon  my 
friend's  cheeks  in  the  furrows  of  compassion,  yet  when 
my  flame  hath  kindled  his  lamp,  we  unite  the  glories  and 
make  them  radiant  like  the  golden  candlesticks  that  burn 
before  the  throne  of  God,  because  they  shine  by  numbers, 
by  unions  and  confederations  of  light  a^nd  joy.  It  is  a 
bountiful  provision  that  in  ordinary  cases  sympathy  with 
sorrow  is  vastly  more  intense  than  sympathy  with  joy. 
The  joy  can  do  with  or  without  the  sympathy,  but  the 
sorrow  needs  and  demands  the  sympathy  to  alleviate  the 
grief  or  stir  up  actiofi  which  may  remove  the  cause  of  it." 
— Illustrations  of  Truth. 

Have  you  no  friends  ? — "  Sometimes  I  ask  a  man 
who  has  newly  become  a  Christian : 

"'Have  you  any  associates  in  the  Church?' 

"'None.' 

" '  Do  you  know  any  body  in  the  city  ?' 

"'Nobody,  except  that  I  am  in  the  establishment  of  a 
Christian  merchant.'  Ah!  yes,  in  the  establishment  of 
a  Christian  merchant !  That  sounds  very  well ;  but,  after 
all,  a  Christian  merchant  is  apt  to  be  only  a  merchant. 
The  clerk  is  to  have  so  much  a  month,  or  so  much  a  year, 
and  the  Christian  merchant  pays  this,  and  that  is  all.  He 
does  not  hire  him  with  the  perquisite  of  visiting  his 
family !  He  does  not  undertake  to  be  a  father  to  him. 
No,  that  don't  belong  to  a  Christian  merchant !  He  does 


418  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

not  undertake  to  look  after  his  clerks  in  any  such  wa;y ! 
He  may  have  eighteen,  twenty,  twenty-five  young  men 
in  his  employ,  every  one  of  whom  had  praying  fathers 
and  mothers,  and  whom  he  knows  to  be  touched  in  the 
direction  of  a  religious  life;  yet  it  is  not-his  business  to 
talk  to  them  on  such  subjects,  nor  to  give  them  his  own 
society, — else  it  would  have  been  in  the  bargain. 

"  The  young  man  is  in  the  store  of  a  Christian  mer- 
chant ;  but  that  does  him  no  good.  He  is  obliged  to  say, 
*I  have  no  companionship.'  He  is  thus  compelled  to 
begin  his  Christian  life  without  staiF  or  stay.  It  is  very 
important,  I  repeat,  that  when  men  become  Christians 
they  should  find  company.  This  is  a  necessity  of  human 
nature.  Among  Christians  there  should  be  fellowship. 
I  suppose  that  this  was  the  reason  why  Churches  we're 
ordained.  When  you  turn  from  the  world  to  go  toward 
heaven  you  should  walk  together;  you  should  hold  each 
other ;  you  should  know  each  other ;  you  should  love  each 
other;  the  social  element  should  surround  you,  and 
should  work  itself  into  a  religious  element." — Henry 
Ward  Beecher. 

TEMPTATION. 

Temptations  are  instructions. 

Though  it  is  trying  to  be  tempted,  it  is  worse  to 
BE  WITHOUT  ANY  TEMPTATION. — "Not  to  be  tempted  of 
the  devil  is  the  greatest  temptation  out  of  hell.  The 
devil's  war  is  better  than  the  devil's  peace.  Carnal  hy- 
pocrisy is  a  dumb  and  silent  thing ;  but  it  is  terrible  to 
be  carried  to  hell  without  any  noise  of  feet.  The  wheels 
of  Satan's  chariot  are  sometimes  oiled  with  carnal  rest, 
and  then  they  go  without  rattling  or  noise," 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  419 

For  the  trying  of  faith. — As  a  founder,  when  he 
hath  cast  a  bell,  he  doth  not  at  once  fix  it  in  the  steeple^ 
but  first  tries  it  with  his  hammer,  to  see  if  there  be  any 
flaw;  so  God  doth  try  his  saints  on  earth,  before  he 
takes  them  to  heaven. 

"  Worms  and  other  insects  take  up  their  habitation 
under  the  surface  of  the  earth.  A  plot  of  ground  may 
be  outwardly  verdant  with  grass  and  decorated  with 
flowers.  But  take  a  spade  in  your  hand,  and  turn 
up  the  mould,  and  you  soon  have  a  sample  of  the  ver- 
min that  lurk  beneath.  Temptation  is  the  spade,  which 
breaks  up  the  ground  of  a  believer's  heart,  and  helps 
to  discover  the  corruptions  of  his  fallen  nature." — 
Salter. 

"  Satan's  promises  are  like  the  meat  that  fowlers  set 
before  birds,  which  is  not  meant  to  feed  them,  but  to 
take  them." — Spurstowe. 

"  Not  a  grace  of  the  Spirit,  but  has  a  weed  growing 
under  it.  Each  grace  is  but  a  victory  over  its  oppo- 
site."— J.  H.  Evans. 

"  You  CARRY  GUNPOWDER  about  with  you.  Oh  !  take 
heed  of  sparks." — Flavel. 

"  The  spark  is  Satan's,  but  the  tinder  is  ours." 

The  Christian  in  the  world  is  like  a  man  obliged 
by  duty  to  live  in  a  neighborhood  where  some  infectious 
disease  or  fever  is  raging.  He  must  of  course  be  at 
times  exposed  to  infection,  but  he  will  never  needlessly 
expose  himself,  and  his  great  care  will  be  to  provide 
against  it  as  well  as  he  can. 

"  The  most  angelic  Christian  is  he  whom  Satan  hates 
most.     They  who  are  troubled  by  Satan  the  least  are 


420         ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

those  who  give  the  least  trouble  to  Satan." — Dr.  Row- 
lands. 

"  Satan's  three  principal  snares  in  temptation  are 
wealth,  pride,  and  voluptuousness.  He  will  either  hide 
or  gild  the  bait." 

God  calls  men  when  they  are  busy ;  Satan  when  he 
finds  them  idle.  If  Satan  find  any  man  idle  he  will  be 
sure  to  find  him  a  job. 

Satan  adapts  temptations  to  temperaments. — 
"  The  camelion,  when  he  lies  on  the  grass  to  catch  flies 
and  grasshoppers,  taketh  upon  him  the  color  of  the 
grass,  as  the  polypus  doth  the  color  of  the  rock  under 
which  he  lurketh,  that  the  fish  may  boldly  come  near 
him  without  any  suspicion  of  danger.  In  like  manner 
Satan  turneth  himself  into  that  shape  which  we  least 
fear,  and  sets  before  us  such  objects  of  temptation  as 
are  most  agreeable  to  our  natures,  that  so  he  may  the 
sooner  draw  us  into  his  net ;  he  sails  with  every  wdnd, 
and  blows  us  that  wav  which  we  incline  of  ourselves, 
through  the  weakness  of  nature.  Is  our  knowledge  in 
matters  of  faith  deficient  ?  He  tempts  us  to  error.  Is 
our  conscience  tender  ?  He  tempts  us  to  scrupulosity, 
and  too  much  preciseness.  Hath  our  conscience,  like 
the  ecliptic  line,  some  latitude  ?  He  tempts  us  to  carnal 
liberty.  Are  we  bold-spirited  ?  He  tempts  us  to  pre- 
sumption. Are  we  timorous  and  distrustful  ?  He  tempt- 
eth  us  to  desperation.  Are  we  of  a  flexible  disposition  ? 
He  tempteth  us  to  inconstancy.  Are  we  stifi"?  He  la- 
bors to  make  obstinate  heretics,  schismatics,  or  rebels  of 
us.  Are  we  of  an  austere  temper  ?  He  tempteth  us  to 
cruelty.  Are  we  soft  and  mild  ?  He  tempteth  us  to 
indulgence  and  foolish  pity.     Are  we  hot  in  matters  of 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  421 

religion  ?  He  tempteth  us  to  blind  zeal  and  superstition. 
Are  we  cold  ?  He  tempteth  us  to  Laodicean  lukewarm- 
ness.  Thus  doth  he  lay  his  traps  in  our  way,  that  one 
way  or  other  he  may  ensnare  us." — Spencer. 

True  Christians  under  temptation  are  like  fountains 
which,  if  the  mud  be  stirred,  will  make  all  speed  to  clear 
and  cleanse  themselves  again. 

We  should  RESIST — not  dispute. — An  old  writer  gives 
the  following  advice : — "  If  you  would  not  be  foiled  by 
temptation,  do  not  enter  into  a  dispute  with  Satan. 
When  Eve  began  to  argue  the  case  with  the  serpent,  the 
serpent  was  too  hard  for  her ;  the  devil  by  his  logic  dis- 
puted her  out  of  Paradise.  Satan  can  mince  sin,  make 
it  small,  and  varnish  it  over,  and  make  it  look  like  vir- 
tue. Satan  is  too  subtle  a  sophister  to  hold  an  argument 
with  him.  Dispute  not,  but  fight.  If  you  enter  into  a 
parley  with  Satan,  you  give  him  half  the  victory.  The 
reason  is  obvious,  for  we  cannot  parley  with  Satan  with- 
out giving  up  principle ;  and  whenever  we  allow  our- 
selves to  debate  the  question,  whether  we  will  do  wrong, 
it  is  almost  certain  we  shall  yield." 

neither  underrate  nor  overrate. 


"  It  is  a  narrow  and  strait  path,  between  overrating  and  underrating 
Satan.  Underrate  him  not,  for  thou  art  no  match  for  him.  Overrate 
him  not;  for  he  is  no  match  for  Christ.  Remember  he  is  a  resistible 
foe;  his  power,  great  as  it  is  (and  it  is  great),  is  not  omnipotence;  hia 
cunning  is  not  omniscience." — J.  H.  Evans. 

not  in  our  own  strength. 

"A  sentinel  posted  on  the  walls,  when  he  discerns  a  hostile  party 
advancing,  does  not  attempt  to  make  head  against  them  himself,  but 
informs  his  commanding  officer  of  the  enemy's  approach,  And  leaves 
him  to  take  the  proper  measures  against  the  foe.     So  the  Christian 

36 


422  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

does  not  attempt  to  fight  temptation  in  his  own  strength ;  his  watch- 
fulness lies  in  observing  its  approach,  and  in  telling  God  of  it  by 
prayer." —  W.  Mason. 

"  Take  God  into  thy  counsel ;  heaven  overlooks  hell.  God  at  any 
time  can  tell  thee,  what  plots  are  hatching  there  against  thee.  Con- 
sider Satan  as  he  is  God's  creature,  so  God  cannot  but  know  him.  He 
that  makes  the  watch,  knows  every  pin  in  it.  He  formed  this  crooked 
serpent,  though  not  the  crookedness  of  this  serpent;  and  though  Sa- 
tan's way  in  tempting  be  as  wonderful  as  the  way  of  a  serpent  on  a 
rock,  yet  God  traceth  him,  yea,  knows  all  his  thoughts  together.  *  Hell 
itself  is  naked  before  him,'  and  the  destroyer  hath  nx)  covering.  Again, 
consider  him  as  God's  prisoner,  who  hath  him  fast  in  chains ;  and  so 
the  Lord  who  is  his  keeper,  must  needs  know  whither  his  prisoner 
goes  who  cannot  stir  without  his  leave.  Lastly,  consider  him  as  his 
messenger ;  for  so  he  is.  And  he  that  gives  him  his  errand  is  able  to 
tell  thee  what  it  is." — Gurnall, 

in  the  beginning. 

"  All  vice  stands  on  a  precipice,  and  to  engage  in  any  sinful  course 
is  to  run  down  the  hill.  There  is,  therefore,  no  safety  except  in  the 
fixed  principle  and  purpose  to  do  right.  It  is  a  fond  thing  for  a  man 
to  think  to  set  bounds  to  himself  in  anything  that  is  bad;  to  resolve 
to  sin  in  number,  weight,  and  measure,  with  great  temperance  and 
discretion,  and  government  of  himself;  that  he  will  commit  this  sin, 
and  then  give  over;  entertain  but  this  one  temptation,  and  after  that 
he  will  shut  the  door  and  admit  of  no  more.  Our  corrupt  hearts, 
when  they  are  once  in  motion,  are  like  the  raging  sea,  to  which  we 
can  set  no  bounds  nor  say  to  it,  *  Hitherto  shalt  thou  go  and  no  fur- 
ther.' When  the  devil  tempts  a  man  to  commit  any  wickedness,  he 
does,  as  it  were,  lay  a  long  train  of  sins;  and  if  the  first  tempta- 
tions take,  they  give  fire  to  one  another.  Let  us  then  resist  the  be- 
ginning of  sin,  because  then  we  have  the  most  power,  and  sin  hath 
least." — Tillotson. 

"That  memorable  fire,  which  two  centuries  ago  laid  nearly  one 
half  of  London  in  ashes,  which  defied  for  days  and  days  the  efforts 
of  thousands  of  men ;  there  was,  no  doubt,  a  moment  when  a  pitcher 
of  water  in  the  hands  of  a  little  child  might  have  quenched  it." — 
Dean  Trench. 

Benefits    of    sanctified    temptation.  —  "Every 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  423 

temptation  is  an  opportunity  of  our  getting  nearer  to 
God." — Adams. 

"  'Tis  observed  of  our  neighbors  in  the  Netherlands, 
that  whereas  other  nations  used  to  be  made  poor  by  war, 
they  have  grown  rich  with  it ;  because  with  their  wars 
they  have  enlarged  their  trade  and  traffic  abroad.  And 
if  thou,  Christian,  wouldest  thrive  by  all  thy  tempta- 
tions, thou  must  take  the  same  course ;  whatever  thou 
doest,  starve  not  thy  trade  with  heaven." — Grurnall. 

It  is  said  of  General  Washington,  he  was  made  a 
General  more  by  defeats  than  by  victories. 

There  is  no  sin  to  which  we  can  be  tempted,  which 
will  not  yield  greater  happiness  in  being  resisted  than 
in  being  indulged. 

The  Pilgrim's  Progress  abounds  with  illustrations 
of  the  temptations  of  good  Christians,  in  all  stages  of 
their  pilgrimage.  Read  the  accounts  of  Christian's 
fight  with  ApoUyon, — hi^  walk  through  the  Enchanted 
Ground,  and  through  the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of 
Death,  &c. 

The  enemy  within. — "  Temptations  are  enemies  out- 
side the  castle,  seeking  entrance.  If  there  be  no  false 
retainer,  no  traitor  within,  who  holds  treacherous  parley, 
there  would  not  be  an  offer  made.  It  is  the  face  at  the 
window^  that  emboldens  the  tempter ;  or  the  old  story  of 
Parley  the  Porter  listening  at  the  gate  or  over  the  wall, 
instead  of  giving  the  alarm  of  danger.  Bishop  Hall 
well  says,  '  He  is  not  a  fool  who  has  foolish  thoughts, 
but  he  is  a  fool  who  yields  to  them.'  " 

The  enchanted  ground. — See  Bunyan's  admirable 
picture  in  the  Pilgrim's  Progress  of  the  danger  Christian 
was  in  here.     See  also  Christiana  meeting  in  the  same 


424  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

place  with  one  Stand-fast  going  upon  his  knees,  from 
fear  of  the  danger  of  being  overcome. 

I  HAYE  often  observed  rural  hedgers,  when  engaged 
in  brushing  hedges,  protect  their  hand  from  the  thorne 
by  wearing  strong  thick  gloves.  Is  it  not  an  emblem 
of  the  care  the  believer  should  take  when  called  to  deal 
with  the  thorns  and  briers  of  this  wilderness  world  ? 

The  OPEN  SMELLING-BOTTLE. — "  Gotthold  had,  for 
some  purpose,  taken  from  a  cupboard  a  vial  of  rose- 
water,  and  after  using  it,  had  inconsiderately  left  it 
unstopped.  Observing  it  some  time  after,  he  found  that 
all  the  strength  and  sweetness  of  the  perfume  had 
evaporated.  This,  thought  he  with  himself,  is  a  striking 
emblem  of  a  heart  fond  of  the  world,  and  open  to  the 
impressions  of  outward  objects.  How  vain  it  is  to  take 
such  a  heart  to  the  house  of  God,  and  fill  it  with  the 
precious  essence  of  the  roses  of  Paradise,  which  are  the 
truths  of  Scripture,  or  raise  in  it  a  glow  of  devotion,  if 
we  afterwards  neglect  to  close  the  outlet  that  is  to  keep 
the  word  in  an  honest  and  good  heart !  (Luke  viii.  15.) 
How  vain  to  hear  much,  but  to  retain  little  and  practice 
less  !  How  vain  to  excite  in  our  heart  sacred  and  holy 
emotions  unless  we  are  afterwards  careful  to  close  the 
outlet  by  diligent  reflection  and  prayer,  and  so  preserve 
it  unspotted  from  the  world.  Neglect  this,  and  the 
strength  and  spirit  of  devotion  evaporates,  and  leaves 
only  a  lifeless  froth  behind.  Lord  Jesus,  enable  me 
to  keep  thy  word  like  a  lively  cordial  in  my  heart. 
Quicken  it  there  by  thy  Spirit  and  grace.  See  it  also 
in  my  soul,  that  it  may  preserve  forever  its  freshness 
and  power." 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  425 

THOUGHT. 

Man  fell  before  he  ate. 

"  Objects  of  mental  contemplation  act  upon  the  moral 
principle,  as  Jacob's  breeding  rods  did  upon  the  flocks ; 
for  the  offspring  of  thought  may  be  ring-streaked,  or 
speckled,  or  spotted,  according  to  the  complexion  of  the 
parent." — Captain  Crordon. 

"The  true  Christian,  who  knows  by  experience 
what  it  is  to  deal  with  his  own  heart,  finds  it  infinitely 
more  difficult  to  beat  down  one  sinful  thought  from 
rising  up  in  him,  than  to  keep  down  a  thousand  sinful 
thoughts  from  breaking  out  into  open  action.  Here 
lies  the  chief  labor — to  fight  a  phantasm,  or  airy  appa- 
rition,— such  as  thoughts  are.  He  sets  himself  chiefly 
against  these  heart  sins,  because  he  knows  that  these 
are  sins  that  are  most  of  all  contrary  to  grace,  and  do 
most  of  all  weaken  and  waste  grace.  Outward  sins  are 
like  the  many  caterpillars,  that  devour  the  verdure  and 
flourishing  of  grace;  but  heart  sins  are  like  so  many 
worms,  that  gnaw  the  very  roots  of  grace." — Hopkins. 

"  Oh,  if  there  were  a  thought  in  my  heart  for  which 
Jesus  did  not  atone,  I  could  never  enter  heaven." — 
Mrs.  Winslow. 

An  enemy  at  work. — "  Our  heart  is  like  a  mill,  ever 
grinding,  which  a  certain  lord  gave  in  charge  to  his 
servant,  enjoining  that  he  should  only  grind  in  it  his 
master's  grain,  whether  wheat,  barley,  or  oats,  and  tell- 
ing him  that  he  must  subsist  on  the  produce.  But  that 
servant  has  an  enemy  who  is  always  playing  tricks  on 
the  mill.  If  any  moment  he  finds  it  unwatched,  he 
throws  in  gravel  to  keep  the  stones  from  acting,  or  pitch 
to  clog  them,  or  dirt  and  chaff  to  mix  with  the  meal. 
36  * 


426         ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

If  the  servant  is  careful  in  tending  his  mill,  there  flows 
forth  a  beautiful  flour,  which  is  at  once  a  service  to  his 
master  and  a  subsistence  to  himself;  but  if  he  plays 
truant  and  allows  his  enemy  to  tamper  with  the  machinery, 
the  bad  outcome  tells  the  tale,  his  lord  is  angry  and  he 
himself  is  starved.  This  mill  ever  grinding  is  the  heart 
ever  thinking.  God  has  given  one  to  each  man  to  guard 
and  fend,  and  bids  him  grind  in  it  only  those  thoughts 
which  he  himself  supplies.  Some  of  these  thoughts  are 
fine  wheat — meditations  concerning  God  himself.  Others 
are  like  barley, — for  instance,  when  the  soul  strives  to 
ascend  from  one  virtue  to  another ;  and  others  still  are 
like  oats, — desires,  for  example,  to  break  ofi"  bad  habits, 
which  desires  are  good  thoughts  though  not  of  the  highest 
order.  These  thoughts  God  would  have  us  keep  con- 
tinually revolving  in  our  minds ;  but  the  devil  is  man's 
adversary,  and  if  any  moment  he  finds  the  heart  empty 
of  good  thoughts  he  instantly  throws  in  some  bad  ones. 
Some  of  these  bad  thoughts — such  as  wrath  and  envy, 
dissipate  the  mind;  others,  such  as  sensuality  and  luxury, 
clog  its  actions ;  and  others,  such  as  vain  imaginations, 
fill  up  the  place  of  better  thoughts.  By  holy  meditations 
he  fulfils  the  will  of  God,  and  builds  up  his  own  ever- 
lasting life.  But  if  he  allows  the  devil  to  tamper  with 
his  heart  and  corrupt  it,  the  vicious  produce  of  his  evil 
thoughts  comes  forth  to  view ;  the  fruit  to  the  man  him- 
self is  not  life  but  death." — Anselm. 

"An  angler  having  baited  his  hook  throws  it  into 
the  water :  the  fish  having  espied  the  bait  after  two  or 
three  vagaries  about  it  nibbles  at  it,  and  after  awhile 
swallows  down  the  bait,  hook  and  all.  The  fisher  sees 
none  of  all  this,  but  by  the  sinking  of  the  cork  he  knows 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  427 

that  the  fish  ^*s  taken.  Thus  Satan  (though  a  most 
cunning  angler;  knows  not  the  thoughts  of  men,  such 
as  are  mere  pure  thoughts,  that's  God's  peculiar,  it  is 
he  that  searcheth  the  heart  and  trieth  the  reins;  but 
if  we  write  or  speak,  if  the  cork  do  but  stir,  if  our 
countenance  do  but  change,  he  is  of  such  perspicuity  and 
so  well  experienced  withal,  that  he  will  soon  know  what 
our  thoughts  are,  and  suit  his  temptations  accordingly." 
— Spencer, 

Sir  Isaac  Newton,  when  asked  how  he  was  able  to 
make  such  wonderful  discoveries  in  science,  replied,  "By 
always  thinking  about  them." 

Dr.  Arnold,  when  at  Rugby,  used  to  say,  the  chief 
thing  it  was  his  aim  and  desire  to  cultivate  in  his  pupils, 
was  the  habit  of  moral  thoughtfulness, 

TIME. 

"The  ship  that  never  anchors." 

"  Time  wasted  is  existence — used  is  life." — Young, 

"  Time  is  the  warp  of  life — oh  use  it  well." 

"  Time  is  sometimes  painted  with  a  lock  before  and 
bald  behind,  signifying  thereby  that  we  must  take  time 
by  the  forelock,  for  when  it  is  once  past  there  is  no 
recalling  it." — Jeremy  Taylor. 

"That  day  is  lost  indeed  in  which  we  lose  ground  on 
the  way  to  heaven." — Adam. 

Well-arranged  time  is  one  of  the  rarest  signs  of  a 
well-ordered  mind. 

"Time  is  like  money. — When  we  change  a  guinea, 
the  shillings  escape  as  things  of  small  account;  when  we 
break  a  day  by  idleness  in  the  morning,  the  rest  of  the 
hours  lose  their  importance  in  our  eyes.     As  time  recedes, 


428  ILL  "STRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

eternity  advances.  How  solemn  the  thought,  how  pru- 
dent the  advice:  Improve  time  and  prepare  for  eternity." 
— Cope  8  Anecdotes. 

It  was  wittily  said,  that  by  some  Time  was  thus  pic- 
tured of  old.  Time  to  come  had  the  head  of  a  fawning 
dog;  Time  present,  the  head  of  a  stirring  lion;  Time 
past,  the  head  of  a  biting  wolf;  so  teaching  that  though 
silly  souls  fancy  still  their  best  days  are  to  come,  yet  if 
they  bestir  not  well  themselves  in  their  present  ones  they 
will  be  very  miserably  torn  and  bitten  in  their  future.'' 
— Burgess. 

"  Time  redeemed. — As  in  a  letter,  if  the  paper  be 
small  and  we  have  much  to  write,  we  write  closer ;  so 
let  us  learn  to  encourage  and  improve  the  remaining 
moments  of  life.  Work  while  it  is  day,  for  the  night 
Cometh." — Jay. 

— "Awhile  since,  the  dust  and  shavings  from  a 
book-bindery,  where  gold-leaf  is  used  to  make  the  titles 
on  the  backs  of  books,  were  sent  to  the  gold-beaters  to 
be  burnt  out.  And  how  much  gold  do  you  think  was 
found  from  the  little  particles  that  had  fallen  on  the  floor  ? 
Why,  a  lump  that  was  valued  at  more  than  twenty 
pounds!  Enough  to  buy  200  Bibles,  or  20,000  Tracts. 
The  shavings  from  the  edges  of  books  in  the  same  bind- 
ery sell  for  six  or  seven  hundred  pounds  a  year  for 
paper-rags. 

"  If  boys  and  girls  would  save  the  fragments  of  time, 
and  devote  them  to  reading  and  study,  they  might  be- 
come learned  and  wise.  If  they  would  save  the  frag- 
ments of  money,  they  might  become  wealthy  and  useful. 
If  they  would  save  the  fragments  of  opportunity,  they 
would  do  a  great  deal  of  good. 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  429 

"It  is  as  right  to  be  economical  and  saving,  as  it  is 
wrong  to  be  miserly  and  mean.  Save  to  give,  and  give 
to  save.  Then  you  will  say,  as  a  good  man  did,  '  What 
I  kept  I  lost,  and  what  I  gave  away  I  have.'  " — Christian 
Treasury. 

"The  difference  of  rising  every  morning  at  six  and 
eight  in  the  course  of  forty  years  amounts  to  upwards 
of  29,000  hours,  or  three  years,  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
six  days,  six  hours ;  so  that  it  is  just  the  same  as  if  ten 
years  (^  life  were  to  be  added,  of  which  we  might  com- 
mand eight  hours  every  day  for  the  cultivation  of  our 
minds  or  the  despatch  of  business." — Copes  Anecdotes. 

Time  wasted. — Were  a  man  to  throw  a  guinea  away 
every  minute,  he  would  be  looked  upon  as  a  madman, 
and  his  friends  would  confine  him  as  such ;  but  a  man 
who  throws  away  his  time,  which  is  far  more  valuable 
than  gold,  may  still  pass  for  a  wise  man. 

"  Coming  hastily  into  a  chamber,  I  had  almost  thrown 
down  a  crystal  hour-glass;  fear  lest  I  had,  made  me 
grieve  as  if  I  had  broken  it ;  but,  alas !  how  much  pre- 
cious time^  have  I  cast  away  without  any  regret !  The 
hour-glass  was  but  crystal — each  hour  a  pearl;  that  but 
like  to  be  broken,  this  lost  outright ;  that  but  casually — 
this  done  wilfully.  A  better  hour-glass  might  be  bought, 
but  time  lost  once,  lost  ever.  Thus  we  grieve  more  for 
toys  than  for  treasure.  Lord,  give  me  an  hour-glass, 
not  to  be  by  me,  but  in  me !  Teach  me  to  nuhioci  my 
dayh.  An  hour-glass  to  turn  me,  that  I  may  turn  my 
heart  to  wisdom." — Thomas  Fuller. 

Fetching  up  lost  time  ! — "  Time  is  the  most  precious 
thing  in  the  world.  When  God  gives  us  a  moment,  he 
does  n«  t  promise  another,  as  if  to  teach  us  highly  to  value 


430  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

and  diligently  to  improve  it,  by  the  consideration,  for 
aught  we  know,  it  may  be  the  last.  Time  when  gone 
never  returns.  We  talk  about  '  fetching  up'  a  lost  hour, 
but  the  thing  is  impossible.  A  moment  once  lost,  is  lost 
for  ever.  We  could  as  rationally  set  out  to  find  a  sound 
that  had  expired  in  air,  as  to  find  a  lost  moment." — J. 
A,  James. 

IIow  LONG  HAVE  I  TO  LIVE  ? — John  Foster  has  appro- 
priately compared  our  life  to  a  sealed  reservoir,  from 
which  is  running  a  small  quantity  of  water  always, — the 
flowing  stream  being  just  the  representation  of  the  term 
of  our  life.  But  the  reservoir  is  sealed,  and  we  have  no 
means  of  seeing  how  far  the  water  has  run,  and  how 
much  remains,  or  whether  there  be  enough  for  to- 
morrow. 

"Lord,  make  me  to  know  mine  end"  [Psalm  xxxix. 
4). — "  It  was  an  ancient  custom  to  put  an  hour-glass  into 
the  coffins  of  the  dead  as  an  emblem  of  time  run  out. 
*I  stopped,'  says  a  writer  of  the  last  century,  ^in  Clerk- 
enwell  church-yard  to  see  a  grave-digger  at  work.  He 
had  dug  pretty  deep,  and  was  come  to  a  coffin,  which  was 
quite  rotten.  In  clearing  away  the  rotten  pieces  of  wood, 
the  grave-digger  found  an  hour-glass  close  to  the  left  side 
of  the  sjkull,  with  sand  in  it,  the  wood  of  which  was  so 
rotten  that  it  broke  when  he  took  hold  of  it.'  A  strange 
custom  this !  To  notify  to  the  dead  that  their  time  was 
at  an  end !  Oh,  what  profit  could  such  a  warning  be 
coming  thus  too  late?  It  is  to  the  living  that  we  would 
present  the  hour-glass !  It  is  the  living  that  we  would 
warn  of  the  swift  rush  cf  time !  Moments  and  years, 
with  what  speed  do  they  hurry  away !  0  time,  time, 
time,  how  soon  will  it  be  done !     Men  and  brethren,  look 


ILLUSTKATIVE   GATHERINGS.  431 

at  that  hour-glass,  emptying  itself,  grain  by  grain,  with 
such  unstaying  eagerness !  Living  men,  you  will  soon 
be  with  the  dead,  and  where  will  you  be  and  what  is  your 
hope?" — Rev.  Dr.  Bonar. 

Value  of  time. — Queen  ElizahetTi,  during  her  last  ill- 
ness, is  said  to  have  exclaimed,  "  0  time,  time  !  a  world 
of  wealth  for  a  moment  of  time." 

Queen  Charlotte  said  to  Miss  Eurney,  in  her  foreign 
idiom :  "  Oh,  oh,  for  me,  I  am  always  quarrelling  with 
time ;  it  is  bo  short  to  do  something,  and  so  long  to  do 
nothing.'' 

John  Bradford  used  to  say,  "  I  count  that  hour 
lost,  in  which  I  have  done  no  good  by  my  pen  or 
tongue." 

"  Seneca  taught,  that  time  was  the  only  thing  of  which 
it  is  a  virtue  to  be  covetous." 

Dr.  Cotton  Mather  would  express  his  regret  after 
the  departure  of  a  visitor  that  had  needlessly  wasted  his 
time, — "  I  had  rather  have  given  him  a  handful  of  money 
than  have  been  kept  thus  long  out  of  my  study." 

Henry  Martyn  was  so  well  known  for  his  improve- 
ment of  time  at  the  University,  that  the  honorable  title 
was  given  to  him,  "  The  man  that  never  wasted  an 
hour." 

McCheyne,  after  spending  an  evening  too  lightly, 
wrote  in  his  Diary, — "  My  heart  must  break  off  from  all 
these  things.  What  right  have  I  to  steal  and  abuse  my 
Master's  time  ?     '  Redeem  it,'  he  is  crying  to  me." 

TONGUE. 

"The  instrument  on  which  human  thoughts  are 
played." 


432         ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

"  The  latch-key  that  lets  out  the  mind." — Family 
Friend, 

"  By  examining  the  tongue  of  a  patient,  physicians 
find  out  the  disease  of  the  body,  and  philosophers  the 
disease  of  the  mind." — Justin. 

Better  the  feet  slip  than  the  tongue. 

"If  itching  ears  are  bad,  itching  tongues  are  worse." 
— Mylne. 

"A  TALKING  MAN  makes  himself  artificially  deaf, 
being  like  a  man  in  the  steeple  when  the  bells  ring." — 
Jeremy  Taylor. 

Great  knowledge,  if  it  be  without  vanity,  is  the 
most  severe  bridle  of  the  tongue.  For  so  have  I  heard 
that  all  the  noises  and  prating  of  the  pool,  the  croak- 
ing of  frogs  and  toads,  is  hushed  and  appeased  upon  the 
instant  of  bringing  upon  them  the  light  of  a  candle  or 
torch.  Every  beam  of  reason  and  ray  of  knowledge 
checks  the  dissolutions  of  the  tongue." — Ibid. 

"  Behold  !  how  great  a  matter  a  little  fire  kin- 
DLETH.  And  the  tongue  is  a  fire."  (James  iii.  5, 
6.) — "  I  saw  a  terrible  fire  some  time  ago,  or  rather,  I 
saw  the  reflection  of  it  in  t|;^e  sky — the  heavens  were 
crimsoned  with  it.  It  burned  a  large  manufactory  to 
the  ground,  and  the  firemen  had  hard  work  to  save  the 
buildings  which  surrounded  it.  They  poured  streams  of 
water  on  it  from  fifteen  engines,  but  it  licked  it  up  and 
would  have  its  course,  till  the  walls  gave  way.  The  ter- 
rible fire  was  kindled  by  a  farthing  rusJilight !  Some 
years  ago  I  saw  the  black  ashes  of  what  the  night  before 
was  a  splendid  farm-yard,  with  its  hay-ricks,  corn-stacks, 
Btables,  and  cow-sheds ;  and  lying  about  upon  them  were 
the  carcases  of  a  number  of  miserable  horses  and  bul- 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  433 

locks,  "which  had  perished  in  the  flames.  All  that  wa? 
done  by  a  lucifer  mateh  !  In  America  the  Indians  strike 
a  8park  from  a  flint  and  steel,  and  set  fire  to  the  dry 
grass,  and  the  flames  spread  and  spread  until  they  sweep 
like  a  roaring  torrent  over  prairies  as  large  as  England, 
and  men  and  cattle  have  to  flee  for  their  lives.  "  Be- 
hold how  great  a  matter  a  little  fire  kindleth.  And  the 
tongue  is  afire.'' — Mev.  James  Bolton. 

"  Keep  thy  tongue  from  evil."  (Psalm  xxxiv.  13; 
1  Peter  ii.  22.)  Pambus  used  to  say  it  took  him  twenty 
years  to  learn  this  text. 

"  iEsop  was  once  ordered  by  his  master,  Xanthus,  who 
wrs  about  to  entertain  a  large  party,  to  go  and  purchase 
for  him  the  best  thing  he  could  find  in  the  market.  He 
went  accordingly  and  bought  a  large  supply  of  tongues, 
w^hich  he  desired  the  cook  to  serve  up  with  diff"erent 
sauces.  When  dinner  came,  the  first  and  second  course, 
the  last  service,  and  all  the  made  dishes,  were  tongues  ! 

*  Did  I  not  order  you,'  said  Xanthus,  in  a  violent  passion, 

*  to  buy  the  best  provision  that  the  market  afforded  ?' 
'  And  have  I  not  obeyed  your  orders  ?  Is  there  any- 
thing better  than  tongues  ?•  Is  not  the  tongue  the  bond 
of  civil  society,  the  key  of  science,  and  the  organ  of 
truth  and  reason  ?  By  means  of  the  tongue  cities  are 
built,  and  governments  established  and  administered ; 
with  that  men  instruct,  persuade,  and  preside  in  assem- 
blies. It  is  the  instrument  by  which  we  discharge  the 
chief  of  all  our  duties,  praising  and  adoring  the  gods.' 
*Well,  then,'  replied  Xanthus,  thinking  to  catch  him. 
'  go  to  market  again  to-morrow^  and  buy  me  the  zvors. 
things  you  can  find.  This  same  company  will  dine  with 
me,  and  I  have  a  mind  to  diversify  my  entertainment.' 

37 


434  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

^sop  the  next  day  provided  nothing  but  the  very  same 
dishes,  telling  his  master  that  the  tongue  was  the  worst 
thing  in  the  world.  *  It  is,'  said  he,  '  the  instrument  of 
all  strife  and  contention,  the  inventor  of  law-suits,  and 
the  source  of  division  and  wars ;  it  is  the  organ  of  error, 
of  lies,  calumny,  and  blasphemies.* 

"  When  the  tongue  is  sanctified  only  is  it  the  *  glory 
of  the  frame." — Copes  Anecdotes, 

TRIFLES. 

The  potency  of  small  things  piled  up  into  a  moun- 
tain. 

"  It  is  but  the  littleness  of  man  that  sees  no  greatness 
in  trifles." 

It  is  possible  to  be  doing  something  and  yet  be  very 
idle. 

Nothing  ends  more  fatally  than  mysteriousness  in 
trifles.  Indeed,  it  commonly  ends  in  guilt;  for  those 
who  begin  by  concealment  of  innocent  things,  will  soon 
have  something  to  hide  which  they  dare  not  bring  to 

ight." 

Trifles  make  perfection,  and  perfection  is  no  trifle. 

"  A  GENTLEMAN  engaged  an  artist  to  execute  a  piece 
of  sculpture  for  him.  Visiting  his  studio  after  an  ab- 
sence of  several  weeks,  it  seemed  to  him  that  the  artist 
had  made  little  progress.  '  What  have  you  been  doing?* 
asked  the  gentleman  of  the  artist.  'Working  on  this 
figure.'  *But  I  see  nothing  done  since  my  last  visit/ 
'Why,'  answered  the  artist,  'I  have  brought  out  this 
muscle ;  I  have  modified  this  part  of  the  dress ;  I  have 
slightly  changed  the  expression  of  the  lip.'  'But  these 
are  trifles,'  said  the  gentleman.     '  True,  sir,'  replied  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE    SATHERINGS.  435 

artist,  *but  perfection  is  made  up  of  trifles.'' — Christian 
Treasury. 

Kenilworth  Castle. — ^Willis,  the  American  traveler, 
in  his  "Famous  Persons  and  Famous  Places,"  observes 
that  when  visiting  Kenilworth  he  was  struck  with  ob- 
serving on  some  of  the  ruins  of  solid  masonry  in  one 
place  the  swelling  root  of  a  creeper  had  lifted  one  arch 
from  its  base ;  and^  the  protruding'  branch  of  a  chance 
spring  tree  (sown  perhaps  by  a  field  sparrow)  had  un- 
seated the  keystone  of  the  next.  And  so  perish  castles 
and  reputations,  the  masonry  of  the  human  hand  and 
the  fabrics  of  human  thought,  not  by  strength  which 
they  feared,  but  by  the  weakness  of  trifling  things  which 
they  despised. 

Little  did  John  0' Gaunt  think  when  these  rudely- 
hewn  blocks  were  heaved  into  their  seats  by  his  herculean 
workmen,  that  after  resisting  fire  and  foe  they  would  be 
sapped  and  overthrown  at  last  by  a  vine  tendril  and  a 
sparrow ! 

"  Tell  our  gay  triflers  there  is  no  such  thing  as  a 
trifle  upon  earth.  Can  anything  be  a  trifle  which  has  an 
efi'ect  eternal  ?" — Edward  Young, 

TRINITY,  THE, 

—  Is  purely  an  object  of  faith.  Where  reason  can- 
not wade,  faith  must  be  content  to  swim. 

Reason  never  shows  itself  so  reasonable,  as  when 
it  ceases  to  reason  about  things,  which  are  above  rea- 
son. 

"  The  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is  above  reason,  but 
not  against  it." 


436  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

[Any  illustration  on  the  subject  of  the  Trinity  should  be  used  -witt 
the  deepest  reverence.  None  such  are  quoted  here,  not  because  there 
is  not  some  aptness  in  them ;  but  what  Hilary  says  is  most  true — 
"  They  may  gratify  the  understanding  of  man,  but  none  of  them  ex- 
actly suit  the  nature  of  God."  "  Sir,  in  these  matters,"  said  one  of 
our  Reformers,  "  I  am  so  fearful  that  I  dare  not  speak  further.  Yea, 
almost  none  otherwise  than  as  the  Scriptures,  as  it  were,  lead  me  by 
the  hand."] 

Augustine  and  tfce  shell. — As  St.  Augustine  was 
walking  by  the  sea-side,  meditating  on  the  doctrine  of 
the  Trinity,  he  observed  a  child  pouring  the  water  of 
the  sea  into  a  shell,  which  had  a  hole  in  the  middle  of 
it.  "  What  are  you  doing  ?"  said  Augustine.  The  child 
answered,  "I  am  putting  all  the  sea  into  this  shell." 
"  Thou  plajiest  the  child  indeed,"  said  the  father.  "  Can 
a  shell,  thinkest  thou,  comprehend  all  this  sea  ?"  "And 
so  do  you,  sir,"  rejoined  the  child,  "who  would  by  rea- 
son comprehend  the  Trinity." 

Columbus,  there  is  reason  to  believe,  was  a  pious 
man.  It  was  an  appropriate  evidence  of  his  honoring 
the  blessed  Three  in  One,  to  whom  he  looked  for  guid- 
ance in  his  enterprise,  that  on  first  seeing  the  three  peaks 
of  the  Island  of  Trinidad,  on  the  morning  of  Trinity 
Sunday,  1498,  he  gave  it .  the  name  of  La  Trinidada 
(the  Trinity.) 

"  You  are  now  alone,"  said  Rutherford,  in  writing  to 
d  friend,  "  but  you  may  have  for  the  seeking  three 
always  in  your  company — the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Spirit." 

"  I  COMMIT  myself,"  Said  Bengel,  when  seriously  ill, 
^'  to  my  faithful  Creator,  my  intimate  Redeemer,  my  true 
and  approved  Comforter."  » 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  437 

TRUST  in  GOD 

is  faith  believing  and  following,  with  the  eyes 

shut. 

is  the  grave  of  anxious  care  and  the  tomb  of  un- 
belief. 

"  The  reason  why  God  is  trusted  so  little  is  because 
he  is  so  little  known.  We  say  of  some  men,  '  They  are 
better  known  than  trusted;'  and  if  we  knew  some  men 
more,  we  should  trust  them  less  :  but  the  truth  is,  God  is 
always  trusted  as  much  as  he  is  known ;  and  if  we  knew 
him  more,  we  would  trust  him  more.  Every  discovery 
of  God  shows  somewhat,  which  renders  him  more  worthy 
of  our  trust." — Caryl, 

"We  lie  to  God  in  prayer,  if  we  do  not  rely  upon 
him  after  prayer." — Swinnock. 

"  Combat  all  thy  discontent  through  prayer,  every  care 
through  faith,  every  fear  through  hope." — Sturm. 

"  With  men  it  is  a  good  rule  to  try  first  and  then  to 
trust ;  with  God  it  is  contrary.  I  will  first  trust  him,  as 
most  wise,  omnipotent,  merciful,  and  try  him  afterwards. 
I  know  it  is  as  impossible  for  him  to  deceive  me,  as  not 
to  be." — Bishop  Hall. 

Begin  the  web  of  duty  in  faith,  and  God  will  supply 
you  with  threads. 

As  rowers  in  a  boat  turn  their  backs  to  the  shore, 
and  trust  to  the  man  at  the  helm,  whose  eye  is  fixed 
upon  it ;  so  should  we  proceed  in  duty  through  life, — ■ 
turn  our  back  from  our  anxious  cares  for  the  future, 
and  leave  the  guidance  of  them  all  to  God,  who  guides 
tlie  helm. 

"  Trust  in  the  Lord  and  do  good''  (Ps.  xxxvii.  8) 

37* 


438  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

True  trust  is  not  incompatible  with  using  the  proper 
means. 

"  Trust  in  the  Lord,  and  kaep  your  powder  dry,''  was 
one  of  Cromwell's  frequent  charges  to  his  soldiers. 

"  Do  THY  PART,"  sajs  Fcltham,  "  with  industry,  and 
leave  the  event  with  God.  I  have  seen  matters  fall  out 
so  unexpectedly,  that  they  have  taught  me  in  all  affairs, 
neither  to  despair  nor  to  presume ;  not  to  despair,  for 
God  can  help  me ;  not  to  presume,  for  God  can  cross  me. 
I  will  never  despair,  because  I  have  a  God ;  I  will  never 
presume,  because  I  am  but  a  man." 

**  It  is  better  to  trust  in  the  Lord  than  to  put 
CONFIDENCE  IN  PRiNCES"  (Ps.  cxviii.  8). — As  a  traveler 
overtaken  by  a  storm  has  sought  the  shelter  of  some  fair- 
spread  oak,  and  findeth  good  relief  for  some  space  of 
time ;  till  suddenly,  by  the  violence  of  a  ruthless  gust, 
the  fierce  wind  teareth  some  strong  branch,  which,  falling, 
hurts  the  unsuspecting  passenger;  so  fareth  it  with  not 
a  few  who  run  for  shelter  to  the  shade  of  some  great 
man.  "  Had  I  served  my  God,"  said  poor  Wolsey,  "  as 
faithfully  as  I  have  served  my  king,  he  would  not  have 
forsaken  me  now." 

Alexander  and  the  physician. — "There  was  an 
action  that  Alexander  the  Great  did,  which  I  use  only  to 
express  what  I  mean  by  trusting  in  God.  When  he  was 
sick,  there  comes  a  friend  that  was  always  close  with  him, 
who  was  a  physician,  and  he  prepared  him  a  potion ;  but 
before  it  was  given,  there  was  a  letter  delivered  to  him 
to  signify  that  that  very  potion  was  poison  !  When  his 
friend  came  with  his  potion  in  his  hands,  Alexander  takes 
the  letter  that  was  sent  to  give  him  notice  of  the  treason, 
and  drinks  off  the  cup  with  one  hand,  and  reaches  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  439 

letter  with  the  other  ;  so  he  drank  off  the  cup  before  he 
showed  the  letter.  How  he  trusted  him !  if  he  had 
failed  him,  Alexander  had  lost  his  life ;  he  did  not  first 
show  him  the  letter,  and  hear  what  he  had  to  say,  but  he 
showed  that  he  trusted  him.  And  know  except  thou  do 
it  thus,  God  is  not  ready  to  help  thee." — Preston. 

The  Rev.  John  Williams,  the  famous  missionary, 
used  to  say  that  two  little  words  make  the  greatest 
mountains  of  difficulty  melt.  Try  and  Trust. 

Mrs.  Hannah  More,  when  eighty  years  of  age,  gave 
the  testimony  of  her  faith  in  God, — "  When  and  whither, 
belong  to  Him  who  governs  both  worlds.  I  have  nothing 
to  do  but  to  trust.  I  bless  God  I  enjoy  great  tranquility 
of  mind,  and  am  willing  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ 
when  it  is  his  will ;  but  I  leave  it  in  his  hands  who  doeth 
all  things  well. 

"  She  said  that  even  in  her  worst  days  she  could 
trust.  When  her  mind  was  unable  to  cry  for  help  or  to 
plead  with  God,  still  she  could  trust  in  his  mercy." — 
Doing  and  Suffering. 

"  I  cannot  rejoice ;  but  I  cannot  despair,  for  I  can 
cling.'' — Ihid. 

Faith's  language  is : — "  When  I  fall,  God  will  raise 
me  up — when  I  want,  God  will  provide — when  I  am  in  per- 
plexity, God  will  deliver.     He  cares  for  me  !" — Cecil. 

"I  have  been  THINKING  of  many  expressions  of 
Rutherford's  this  morning,  before  I  was  up.  I  feel  one 
the  burden  of  the  song : — '  I  lay  my  head  to  rest  on  the 
bosom  of  Omnipotence !'  While  I  can  keep  hold  of 
this,  it  shall  be  a  fine  day,  whether  it  rains,  hails,  or 
shines. " — Ihid. 

Happy  Nancy. — "  There  once  lived  in  an  old  brown 


440  ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS. 

cottage,  a  solitary  Avoman.  She  was  some  thirty  years 
of  age,  tended  her  little  garden,  knit  and  spun  for  a 
living.  She  was  known  everywhere;  from  village  to 
village,  by  the  name  of  *  Happy  Nancy.'  She  had  no 
money,  no  family,  no  relatives ;  and  was  half  blind,  quite 
hrae,  and  very  crooked.  There  was  no  comeliness  in  her, 
and  yet  there,  in  that  homely,  deformed  body,  the  great 
God,  who  loves  to  bring  strength  out  of  weakness,  had 
set  his  royal  seat.  'Well,  Nancy,  singing  again,'  would 
the  chance  visitor  say,  as  he  stopped  at  her  door.  '  Oh 
yes,  I  am  forever  at  it.' 

"  '  I  wish  you'd  tell  me  your  secret,  Nancy.  You  are 
all  alone,  you  work  hard,  you  have  nothing  very  pleasant 
surrounding  you,  what  is  the  reason  you're  so  happy  ?' 

" '  Perhaps  it's  because  I  haven't  got  anybody  but 
God,'  replied  the  good  creature,  looking  up.  '  You  see, 
rich  folks  like  you  depend  upon  their  families  and  their 
houses  ;  they've  got  to  thinking  of  their  business,  of  their 
wives  and  children,  and  then  they're  always  mighty 
afraid  of  troubles  ahead.  I  ain't  got  anything  to  trouble 
myself  about,  you  see,  'cause  I  leave  it  all  to  the  Lord. 
I  think,  well  if  he  can  keep  this  great  world  in  such 
good  order,  the  sun  rolling  day  after  day,  and  the  stars 
a-shining  night  after  night,  make  my  garden  things  come 
up  just  the  same,  season  after  season,  he  can  certainly 
take  care  of  such  a  poor  simple  thing  as  I  am ;  and  so 
you  see  I  leave  it  all  to  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  takes 
care  of  me.' 

''  'Well,  but  Nancy,  suppose  a  frost  should  come  after 
your  fruit-trees  are  all  in  blossom,  and  your  little  plants 
out ;  suppose — ' 

"  '  But  I  don't  suppose;  I  never  can  suppose,  I  don't 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  441 

want  to  suppose,  except  that  the  Lord  will  do  every  thing 
right.  That's  what  makes  young  people  unhappy ;  you're 
all  the  time  supposing.  Now,  why  can't  you  wait  till 
the  suppose  comes,  as  I  do,  and  then  make  the  best 
of  it?' 

"  '  Ah !  Nancy,  it's  pretty  certain  you'll  get  to 
heaven,  while  many  of  us,  with  all  our  worldly  wisdom, 
will  have  to  stay  out.' 

"'There  you  are  at  it  again,'  said  Nancy,  shaki)]g 
her  head,  *  always  looking  out  for  some  black  cloud. 
Why,  if  I  was  you,  I'd  keep  the  devil  at  arm's  length, 
instead  pf  taking  him  right  into  my  heart, — he'll  do  you 
a  desperate  sight  of  mischief.'  She  was  right.  We  do 
take  the  demon  of  care,  of  distrust,  of  melancholy  fore- 
boding, of  ingratitude,  right  into  our  hearts,  and  pet 
and  cherish  the  ugly  monster  till  we  assimilate  to  its 
likeness.  We  canker  every  pleasure  with  this  gloomy 
fear  of  coming  ill ;  we  seldom  trust  that  blessings  will 
enter,  or  hail  them  when  they  come.  Instead  of  that, 
we  smother  them  under  the  blanket  of  apprehension,  and 
choke  them  with  our  misanthropy. 

"It  would  be  well  for  us  to  imitate  happy  Nancy, 
and  'never  suppose.'  If  you  see  a  cloud,  don't  suppose 
it's  going  to  rain ;  if  you  see  a  frown,  don't  suppose  a 
scolding  will  follow.  Do  whatever  your  hands  find  to 
do,  and  there  leave  it.  Be  more  childlike  toward  your 
heavenly  Father ;  believe  in  his  love ;  learn  to  confide 
in  his  wisdom,  and  not  in  your  own ;  and,  above  all,  wait 
till  the  '  suppose'  comes,  an'd  then  make  the  best  of  it. 
Depend  upon  it,  earth  would  seem  an  Eden,  if  you  would 
follow  happy  Nancy's  rule,  and  never  give  place  in  your 
bosom  to  imaginary  evils." 


442  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

TRUTH. 

"  the  medicine  of  the  mind." 

"  the  daughter  of  Time." — Trapp. 

"  The  very  essence  of  truth  is  plainness  and  bright- 
ness."— Milton. 

**  When  I  press  a  truth  beyond  its  limits,  I  get  into 
error.  What  is  error  ?  The  extreme  point  beyond  the 
truth." — J.  H.  Uvans. 

"  That  will  be  a  wretched  day  for  the  Church  of  God, 
when  she  begins  to  think  ani/  aberration  from  the  truth 
of  little  consequence." — Ibid. 

"  It  takes  a  good  many  shovelfuls  of  earth  to  bury 
the  truth." — Swiss  Proverb. 

"  Truth  seldom  goes  without  a  scratched  face." 

"  There  is  a  great  difference  between  having  truth 
on  our  side  and  being  on  the  side  of  truth." 

A  MAN  may  know  the  truth  of  grace,  and  yet  not 
enjoy  the  "grace  in  truth." 

A  just  test  of  our  value  of  Divine  Truth  is  a  willing- 
ness to  hear  of  our  obligations. 

"  A  Christian  is  often  argumentatively  wrong  and 
spiritually  right." — J.  IT.  Evans. 

Error  is  truth  led  astray.  In  all  heresies  there  is  a 
germ  of  truth. 

"  My  principal  method  for  defeating  heresy  is  by 
establishing  truth.  One  proposes  to  fill  a  bushel  with 
tares ;  now  if  I  can  fill  it  first  with  wheat,  I  shall  defeat 
his  attempts." — John  Newton. 

Commendations  of  truth. 

"Truth  is  the  most  glorious   thing;    the  least 

^ling  of  this  gold  is  precious.  Truth  is  ancient;  its 
grey  hairs  may  make  it  venerable ;  it  comes  from  him 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  443 

who  is  the  Ancient  of  Days.  Truth  is  unerring ;  it  is 
the  star  which  leads  to  Christ.  Truth  is  pure,  Ps.  cxix 
140 ;  it  is  compared  to  silver  refined  seven  times,  Ps. 
xii.  6.  There  is  not  the  least  spot  on  truth's  face,  it 
breathes  nothing  but  sanctity.  Truth  is  triumphant ;  it 
is  like  a  great  conqueror,  when  all  its  enemies  lie  dead, 
it  keeps  the  field  and  sets  up  its  trophies  of  victory. 
Truth  may  be  opposed  but  never  quite  deposed.  In  the 
time  of  Diocletian,  things  seemed  desperate,  truth  ran 
low ;  soon  after  was  the  golden  time  of  Constantius,  and 
then  truth  did  again  lift  up  its  head.  When  the  water 
in  the  Thames  is  lowest,  a  high  tide  is  ready  to  come  in. 
God  is  on  truth's  side,  and  so  long  there  is  no  fear,  but 
it  will  prevail.  '  The  heavens  being  on  fire  shall  be  dis- 
solved,' 2  Pet.  iii.  12 ;  but  not  that  truth  which  came 
from  heaven,  1  Pet.  i.  25." — T.  Watson. 

Bacon  in  his  Essays  quotes  the  words  of  Lu- 
cretius,— "It  is  a  pleasure  to  stand  upon  the  shore,  and 
to  see  ships  tossed  upon  the  sea  ;  a  pleasure  to  stand  in 
the  window  of  a  castle,  and  to  see  a  battle  and  the 
adventures  thereof  below ;  but  no  pleasure  is  comparable 
to  the  standing  upon  the  vantage  ground  of  truth,  a  hill 
not  to  be  commanded,  and  where  the  air  is  always  clear 
and  serene,  and  to  see  the  errors,  and  wanderings,  and 
mists,  and  tempests  in  the  vale  below;"  "so  always 
(adds  Bacon)  that  this  prospect  be  with  pity,  and  not 
with  swelling  or  pride.  Certainly  it  is  heaven  on  earth, 
to  have  a  man's  mind  move  in  charity,  rest  in  Provi- 
dence, and  turn  upon  the  poles  of  truth." 

"  Truths  are  first  clouds,  then  rain,  then  harvest 

and  food." — Beecher. 

"  Truth  is  so  great  a  perfection  as  to  have  led 


444  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

Pythagoras  to  say,  that  if  God  were  to  render  himself 
visible  to  men,  he  would  choose  light  for  his  body,  and 
truth  for  his  soul." — Palmer, 

Definitions  of  truth. 

"  What  is  truth  ?" — In  the  Vulgate  these  words  are 
^^Quid  est  Veritas  .^"  A  striking  anagram  has  been  made 
out  of  the  letters, — Est  vir  qui  adest,  (It  is  the  man 
before  thee.) 

"  What  is  truth  ?" — When  Thales  was  asked  the 
question,  h6w  much  truth  differed  from  a  lie?  *'As 
much,"  said  he,  "as  the  eyes  differ  from  the  ears;"  in- 
timating that  what  is  heard  may  be  false,  but  what  is 
'Been  must  be  true. 

"  What  is  truth  ?" — The  question  was  proposed  at 
a  Deaf  and  Dumb  Institution,  when  one  of  the  boys 
drew  a  straight  line.  "And  what  is  falsehood?"  the 
answer  was,  a  crooked  line. 

*'What  is  truth?" — "When  Queen  Elizabeth  rode 
through  London,  on  her  way  from  the  Tower  to  be 
crowned  at  Westminster  Abbey,  at  one  stage  of  her 
progress,  a  beautiful  boy,  intended  to  represent  Truth, 
was  let  down  from  a  triumphal  arch,  and  presented  her 
with  a  copy  of  the  Bible. 

"  Thia  was  received  by  the  Queen  with  a  most  engaging 
gracefulness  of  deportment ;  she  placed  it  in  her  bosom, 
and  declared  ^  that  of  all  the  endearing  proofs  of  attach- 
ment which  she  had  that  day  met  with  from  her  loving 
subjects,  this  gift  she  considered  as  the  most  precious, 
as  it  was  to  her,  of  all  others,  the  most  acceptable.'  " — 
Cope's  Anecdotes. 

Be  true. 

"  As  a  small  mistake  in  leveling  an  arrow  at  the 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  445 

hand  makes  a  great  difference  at  the  mark ;  so  a  small 
mistake  in  the  -notion  of  truth  makes  a  wide  difference 
in  the  practice  of  the  ungodly." — Hopkins. 

In  compounding  medicine,  the  omission  or  undue 
proportion  of  one  single  ingredient  may  turn  the  medicine 
into  poison;  so  will  it  be,  if  we  alter  the  composition 
of  that  truth  which  is  the  Divinely  proportioned  analogy 
of  faith. 

Paulinus,  when  Severus  wrote  to  him  to  send  him 
his  picture,  answered  him,  "  I  must  blush  to  picture  my- 
self as  I  am;  and  I  would  scorn  to  picture  myself  as  I 
am  not." 

Dr.  Johnson  was  particularly  remarkable  for  his  strict 
accuracy  and  truthfulness  in  relating  anything.  Mr. 
Tyers,  who  knew  him  intimately,  said  of  him,  that  he 
always  seemed  as  if  he  were  talking  upon  oath.. 

"Lord  Chatham  was  no  less  noted  for  his  veracity 
in  keeping  promises.  On  one  occasion,  he  had  promised 
that  his  son  should  be  present  at  the  pulling  down  of  a 
garden  wall.  The  wall  was,  however,  taken  down  during 
his  absence,  through  forgetfulness ;  but  feeling  the  im- 
portance of  his  word  being  held  sacred,  Lord  Chatham 
ordered  the  workmen  to  rebuild  it,  that  his  son  might 
witness  its  demolition  according  to  his  father's  j^romise." 
— Trench. 

"Truth  is  great  and  will  prevail." — "Truth  for 
a  time  may  be  obscured,  but  not  in  the  end.  It  is  like 
a  piece  of  sound  timber,  hurled  into  the  water.  By 
force  it  may  be  driven  out  of  sight,  but  as  soon  as  the 
violence  is  removed,  the  timber  will  again  appear,  and 
swim  at  the  top.     Its  nature  is  to  rise." 

"  Of  most  things  it  may  be  said,  '  Vanity  of  vanity, 


446  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

all  is  vanity ;'  but  of  the  Bible  it  may  be  truly  said, 
'A'"erity  of  verity,'  all  is  verity." — Arrowsmith. 

A  child's  prayer. — "We  had  been  reading  John 
viii.  44,  and  speaking  to  the  children  of  Satan  as  the 
father  of  lies ;  and  of  our  hearts  as  the  place  of  lies 
(Jer.  xvii.  9) ;  of  Christ  as  the  truth,  and  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  as  the  Spirit  of  truth.  In  the  evening  I  heard  a 
little  voice  from  a  little  couch  crying  very  earnestly  in 
words  quite  her  own,  *  0  Lord,  let  not  Satan  be  my 
teacher,  for  he  will  teach  me  lies,  and  let  not  my  own 
heart  be  the  teacher,  for  it  will  teach  me  lies ;  but  let 
the  Holy  Spirit  be  my  teacher,  for  he  will  teach  me  the 
truth,  and  he  will  tell  me  about  Jesus  Christ  who  is  the 
truth."* 

UNBELIEF. 

a  film  over  the  eye  of  faith. 

holding  the  promises  with  a  benumbed  or  para- 
lyzed hand. 

"  There  is  no  sin  which  may  not  be  traced  up  to  un- 
belief. ' ' — Mason, 

"  Those  prayers  suffer  shipwreck  which  dash  upon  the 
rock  of  unbelief." — Watson, 

Unbelief  asks  despondingly,  "What  can  we  do?" 
Faith  asks  trustfully,  "  What  can  the  Lord  not  do  ?" 

A  bird  losing  its  wing  is  the  most  helpless  of  all  an- 
imals.    The  believer  without  faith  is  still  weaker. 

Flowers,  in  the  dark,  lose  their  color. 

"  Unbelief  of  Divine  Truth  is  a  destitution  of  the 
only  efficient  principles  by  which  the  moral  and  spiritual 
life  can  be  sustained.  The  experimentalist  may  display 
a  vessel  from  which  air  has  been  more  or  less  exhausted, 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  447 

and  may  tell  us  there  is  nothing  pernicious  m  it ;  but  if 
we  discover  a  deficiency  of  support  for  animal  and  veg- 
etable life,  we  shall  charge  him  with  a  poor  equivocation. 
An  exclusion  of  those  truths  which  are  supereminently 
moral,  such  as  the  perfect  holiness  or  rectitude  of  God 
and  the  destination  of  man  to  glorify  and  enjoy  him 
(truths  which  revelation  alone  demonstrates),  is  an  ex- 
clusion .  of  the  only  sufficient  aliment  of  true  virtue. 
We  may  as  well  expect  a  singing  bird  to  be  vocal  in  a 
receiver  where  he  has  little  or  no  air  to  respire,  as  ex- 
pect the  genuine  exercise  of  real  goodness  from  him  who 
has  no  faith  in  God." — Shepherd. 

"  Faith,  to  take  another  figure,  is  like  the  rare  fluid 
whi(^  causes  the  aeronaut  to  ascend ;  unbelief,  or  that 
stream  of  evil  thoughts  and  tendencies  for  which  unbe- 
lief makes  room,  and  which  therefore  may  borrow  its 
name,  is  like  that  gross  atmosphere  which  enters  or  acts 
as  the  finer  fluid  is  displaced  and  brings  him  down  to 
earth." — Ihid. 

UNION— CHRISTIAN. 

Christians,  to  use  a  familiar  figure,  are  like  coals, — 
they  burn  brighter  when  gathered  into  heaps. 

"  Union  is  power.  The  most  attenuated  thread,  when 
sufficiently  multiplied,  will  form  the  strongest  cable.  A 
single  drop  of  water  is  a  weak  and  powerless  thing ;  but 
an  infinite  number  of  drops  united  by  the  force  of  at- 
traction will  form  a  stream,  and  many  streams  combined 
will  form  a  river ;  till  rivers  pour  their  water  into  the 
mighty  oceans,  whose  proud  waves  defying  the  power  of 
man  none  can.  stay,  but  He  who  formed  them.  And 
thus  forces,  which  acting  singly  are  utterly  impotent, 


448  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

are,  when  acting  in  combination,  resistless  in  their  ener- 
gies, mighty  in  ipower,'' -^Salter. 

"  Mere  uniformity  of  organization,"  as  Leighton 
(thserves,  "  is  not  a  natural  union  produced  by  the  active 
heat  of  the  spirit,  but  a  confusion  rather  arising  from 
the  want  of  its  not  a-knitting  together  but  a-freezing 
together,  as  cold  congregates  all  bodies,  how  heteroge- 
neous soever,  sticks,  stones,  and  water ;  but  heat  makes 
first  a  separation  of  different  things,  and  then  unites 
those  of  the  same  nature." 

Evangelical  unity. — "Very  true,  there  are  minor 
differences,  but  yet  there  is  real  unity.  Ours  is  not  a 
unity  like  that  of  the  waters  of  a  stagnant  pool,  over 
which  the  purifying  breath  of  heaven  sweeps  in  fain. 
Ours  is  not  the  unity  of  darkness,  like  the  cloud-covered 
midnight  sky,  where  neither  moon  nor  star  appears. 
Ours  is  not  a  unity  of  a  forced  conformity,  such  as  is 
found  in  polar  seas,  where  eternal  winter  has  locked  up 
the  waves  in  fetters ;  but  rather,  the  unity  of  evangel- 
ical Protestants  is  like  the  fountain  flowing  ever  fresh 
and  free  from  the  rock ;  like  the  rainbow  that  combines 
the  seven  prismatic  colors  into  one  glorious  arch  of  prom- 
ise spanning  the  heavens ;  like  old  ocean's  unfettered 
flow,  as  its  waves  rush  in  all  their  majesty  and  might, 
'distinct  as  the  billows,  but  one  as  the  sea.'  " — Weir. 

"The  disunion  which  exists  among  Protestants  is 
often  very  grievous  ;  but  in  some  cases  it  is  nothing  more 
than  the  separation  of  furrows  in  a  ploughed  field.  They 
are  not  as  fissures  in  the  rock  on  which  they  all  rest." — 
Trench. 

Nelson,  the  day  before  the  battle  of ,  Trafalgar,  took 
Collingwood  and  Rotherham,  who  were  at  variance,  to 


ILLUSTRATIVE    GATHERINGS.  449 

the  spot  where  they  could  see  the  fleet  opposed  to  them. 
"Yonder,"  said  he,  "are  your  enemies;  shake  hands 
and  be  friends^  like  good  Englishmen." 
^  A  COMMON  MISTAKE. — In  a  sermon  which  Mr.  Wil- 
liams once  delivered  at  Rhos,  an  extraordinary  effect 
was  produced  by  the  following  anecdote,  which  he  ap- 
plied to  his  favorite  topic  of  Christian  union :  "I  recol- 
lect," he  said,  "on  one  occasion  conversing  with  a  ma- 
rine, who  gave  me  a  good  deal  of  his  history.  He  told 
me  that  the  most  terrible  engagement  he  had  ever  been 
in  was  one  between  the  ship  to  which  he  belonged  and 
another  English  vessel,  when  on  meeting  in  the  night, 
they  mistook  each  other  for  a  French  man-of-war.  Sev- 
eral persons  were  wounded,  and  both  vessels  sustained 
serious  damage  from  the  firing.  But  when  the  day 
broke,  great  and  painful  was  their  surprise  to  find  the 
English  flag  hoisted  from  both  ships,  and  that  through 
mistake  they  had  been  fighting  the  previous  night  against 
their  own  countrymen.  They  approached  and  saluted 
each  other,  and  wept  bitterly  together.  Christians  some- 
times commit  the  same  error  in  this  present  world, — one 
denomination  mistakes  another  for  an  enemy ;  it  is  night, 
and  they  cannol  see  to  recognize  one  another.  What 
will  be  their  surprise  when  they  see  each  other  by  the 
light  of  another  world,  when  they  meet  in  heaven,  after 
having  shot  at  one  another  in  the  mist  of  the  present 
state?  How  will  they  salute  each  other  when  better 
known  and  understood,  after  having  wounded  one  an- 
other in  the  night !  But  they  should  wait  till  daybrfeak, 
at  any  rate,  that  they  may  not  be  in  danger,  through 
any  mistake,  of  shooting  at  their  friends." 


38  * 


450  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

VANITY   OF   EARTHLY   THINGS. 

"  That  is  said  to  be  vain  which  vanisheth.  — ArroW' 
smith. 

"  The  vanity  of  the  world  also  appears  in  this,  that 
a  little  cross  will  embitter  great  comforts.  One  dead  fly 
is  enough  to  corrupt  a  whole  box  of  the  world's  most 
fragrant  ointment.  There  are  so  many  ingredients  re- 
quired to  make  up  worldly  felicity — as  riches,  health, 
honor,  friends,  good  name,  and  the  like— that  if  these 
be  wanting  the  whole  composition  is  spoiled.  You  may 
as  soon  grasp  a  bundle  of  dreams,  or  take  up  an  armful 
of  your  shadow,  as  fill  the  boundless  desires  of  your 
soul  with  earthly  enjoyments." — Hopkins. 

The  purest  joys  of  earth  are  like  those  eastern 
birds  whose  beauty  is  in  their  wings. 

"As  WELL  try  to  fill  the  yawning  chasm  with  a 
few  grains  of  sand  as  satisfy  the  gulf  of  the  soul's 
desires  with  the  pleasure  of  an  empty  world." — 
Macduff. 

"  What  are  they  when  they  stand  upon  the  highest 
pinnacles  of  worldly  dignities,  but  bladders  swelled  up 
with  the  breath  of  the  popular  rout, — nothings  set  a-strut, 
chessmen,  that  on  the  board  play  the  kings  and  nobles, 
but  in  the  bag  are  of  the  same  materials  and  rank  with 
others." — Hopkins. 

A  piece  of  rotten   wood  shines  in  the  dark,  but' 
when  the  day-light  appears,  forfeits  its  lustre ;  so  in  the 
darkness  of  this   world,  titles  of  honor  seem  glorious ; 
but'^in  the  morning  of  the  resurrection  they  lose  their 
flaming  brightness  and  vanish  forever." — Bates. 

Severus,  Emperor  of  Rome,  when  he  found  his  end 
approaching,  cried  out,   "  I  have  been  everything,  and 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  451 

everything  is  nothing."  Then  ordering  the  urn  to  be 
brought  to  him,  in  which  his  ashes  were  to  be  enclosed 
on  his  body  being  burned,  he  said,  "Little  urn,  thou 
shalt  contain  one,  for  whom  the  world  was  too  little." — 
Cheevers  Anecdotes. 

Pope  Adrian  .VI.  had  this  inscription  on  his  monu- 
ment :  "  Here  lies  Adrian  YI.,  who  was  never  so  unhappy 
in  any  period  of  his  life  as  at  that  in  which  he  was  a 
prince." 

WARFARE,  THE  CHRISTIAN. 

Life  is  a  battle,  not  a  hymn. 

Believers  live  here  in  a  perpetual  state  of  warfare ; 
if  they  are  not  always  in  the  .  battle,  they  are  always  in 
the  field. 

No  Christian  soldier  must  unbuckle  his  armor  till 
he  puts  on  his  shroud.  Many  a  victorious  veteran  has 
suffered  a  defeat.  "  He  that  shall  endure  to  the  end,  the 
same  shall  be  saved."     (Matt.  xxiv.  13.) 

"  Believers  !  forget  it  not !  you  are  the  soldiers  of 
the  Over  comer.''' — J.  H.  Evans. 

As  little  rocks  in  the  stream  may  trouble  the  water, 
but  they  do  not  hinder  it  from  flowing  on,  but  only  give 
it  greater  force ;  so  the  difficulties  and  discouragements 
of  the  Christian  warfare  only  serve  to  make  the  Christian 
double  his  efforts  to  go  forward  on  his  appointed  course. 
In  this  respect  the  advice  of  Tillinghast  (an  old  Divine)  is 
worthy  to  be  remembered,  "  Consult  more  what  thy  duty 
is  than  what  thy  difficulty  is." 

Difficulties  are  the  things  that  try  men.  We  judge 
not  of  a  boat  when  sailing  with  the  stream,  but 
when  sailing  against  it       "  He   that  wrestles  with  us," 


452  ILLUSTKATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

says  Sir  Robert  Peel,  "strengthens  our  nerves  and 
sharpens  our  skill." 

The  Spartan  mothers  used  to  give  the  good  counsel 
to  their  sons,  "  If  your  sword  be  too  short,  add  a  step 
to  it." 

For  a  Roman  soldier  to  be  found  asleep  at  his  post 
was  death.    V  «)   ^ 

"  He  that  kills  must  first  be  overcome," — the  rid- 
dle which  Great  Heart  proposed  to  the  company  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Gains.  So  in  the  Christian  warfare,  the 
first  great  victory  must  be  over  ourselves. 

The  Christian  was  not  meant  merely  to  be  an  armor- 
keeper^  but  an  armor-wearer ;  not  to  keep  his  armor 
bright  for  show,  but  ready  for  battle. 

"If  a  righteous  cause  bring  you  into  sufifering,  a 
righteous  God  will  bring  you  out  of  sufi'ering." — TF". 
Seeker. 

The  armory  in  the  House  Beautiful.  See  the  de- 
scription in  the  Pilgrim's  Progress  of  what  Christian 
saw  there  of  the  Christian  armor,  and  of  the  wonderful 
weapons  there  preserved. 

Never  surrender. — Towards  sunset  of  the  long 
bloody  day  of  Waterloo,  when  the  surviving  remnant  of 
the  old  Imperial  Guards  were  summoned  to  lay  down 
their  arms,  the  scarred  veterans  of  fifty  victories  cried 
out,  ''The  Old  Guards  can  die,  hut  they  cannot  surren- 
der.'' 

The  disabled  soldier  at  St.  Cloud. — During  the 
Queen's  visit  to  France,  the  Royal  party  were  about 
leaving  for  the  Tuileries.  A  guard  of  soldiers  -^ere  in 
attendance,  in  the  front  rank  of  which  was  an  old  vet- 
eran, on  crutches.     He  had  been  frightfully  wounded 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHEEINaS.  453 

before  Sebastopol,  one  of  his  legs  shattered,  and  his  head 
much  injured;  but  he  was  so  anxious  to  see  the  Queen 
of  England,  that  he  begged  to  be  in  the  front  rank,  and 
his  request  was  granted.  The  Emperor  saw  him, — in- 
quired who  he  was, — sent  for  him, — and  was  so  much 
affected,  that  he  took  from  his  own  uniform  the  cross  of 
the  Legion  of  Honour,  and  placed  it  on  the  warrior's 
breast.  0  Christian !  think  of  that  xiay,  when  Christ 
shall  give,  with  his  own  hands,  once  nailed  to  the  cross, 
the  crown  to  every  faithful  one  who  fought  for  him! 
But,  whereas  kings  can  give  but  a  corruptible  crown,  the 
King  of  kings  shall  give  one  incorruptible,  unfading,  and 
eternal. 

William  Penn's  famous  saying  should  be  written 
upon  the  Church's  banners, — "No  pain,  no  palm;  no 
thorn,  na  throne;  no  gall,  no  glory;  no  cross,  no  crown." 

WATCHFULNESS. 

The  value  we  set  upon  a  gift  is  shown  by  the  care 
we  take  to  keep  it  uninjured,  and  by  the  sorrow  we  feel 
if  it  be  hurt. 

"One  SPOT  causeth  a  whole  garment  to  be  washed;  so 
watching  one  sin  makes  us  watch  all.  When  the  house- 
holder sees  the  rain  come  in  in  one  place,  he  sets  to  look- 
ing through  the  whole  roof." — Grurnall. 

"Never  trust  thou  this  heart  of  thine,  that  it  will  be 
well  ordered  and!  kept  in  good  frame,  though  thou  carry 
not  always  so  heavy  a  hand  and  narrow  an  eye  over  it. 
No ;  if  thou  look  not  thus  straitly  to  it,  it  will  be  gone, 
as  a  wild  horse,  if  a  man  once  let  go  the  bridle  as  he  is 
walking  on  his  journey;  and  then  when  he  is  once  gone, 
he  will  not  be  gotten  again  in  haste,  but  a  man  must 


454  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

spend  as  much  time  in  recovering  of  him  as  would  haply 
have  been  sufficient  to  have  despatched  the  whole  jour- 
ney. So  will  it  fare  with  thy  heart,  if  once  thou  let  go 
this  bridle  of  watchfulness ;  it  will  run  out  so  far,  that  it 
will  be  long  ere  thou  wilt  catch  it  again.  It  will  be  so 
frozen,  that  it  will  be  long  ere  thou  canst  bring  it  to 
melt.  It  will  be  so  loose  and  idle,  that  it  will  be  long 
ere  thou  canst  work  it  into  true  devotion ;  and  thou  must 
spend  as  much  time,  nay  more,  in  seeking  to  regain  thy 
heart  again,  and  to  bring  it  into  temper  and  tune  for  the 
service  of  God,  as  would  have  served  for  the  good  per- 
formance of  the  service  itself." — ByTce. 

Keep  an  eye  upon  every  side. — iEsop's  fable  of 
the  one-eyed  doe  seems  intended  to  teach  us  this  : — "  A 
doe  that  had  but  one  eye  used  to  graze  near  the  sea ; 
and  that  she  might  be  the  more  secure  from  harm,  she 
kept  her  blind  side  towards  the  water,  from  whence  she 
had  no  apprehension  of  danger,  and  with  the  other  sur- 
veyed the  country  as  she  fed.  By  this  vigilance  and 
precaution,  she  thought  herself  in  the  utmost  security, 
when  a  sly  fellow  with  two  or  three  of  his  companions, 
who  had  been  poaching  after  her  for  several  days  to  no 
purpose,  at  last  took  a  boat,  and  fetching  a  compass  upon 
the  sea,  came  gently  down  upon  her  and  shot  her.  The 
doe,  in  the  agonies  of  death,  breathed  out  this  doleful 
complaint,  *  0  hard  fate !  that  I  should  receive  my  death- 
wound  from  that  side  whence  I  expected  no  ill,  and  be 
safe  in  that  part  where  I  looked  for  most  danger.*  The 
application  : — Life  is  so  full  of  latent  mischiefs  and  un- 
certainties which  lie  round  about  us,  that  with  all  the 
precaution  we  use,  we  can  never  be  said  to  be  entirely 
free  from  danger.     So   that  we  may  guard  ourselves 


ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS.  455 

against  the  most  visible  and  threatening  ills,  as  much  as 
we  please,  but  shall  still  leave  an  unguarded  side  to  a 
thousand  latent  mischiefs,  which  lie  in  ambush  round 
about  us." 

The  Roman  sentinel. 

When  Pompeii  was  destroyed,  there  were  very  many 
buried  in  the  ruins  of  it  who  were  afterwards  found  in 
very  different  situations.  There  were  some  found  who 
were  in  the  streets,  as  if  they  had  been  attempting  to 
make  their  escape.  There  were  some  found  in  deep 
vaults,  as  if  they  had  gone  thither  for  security.  TJhere 
were  some  found  in  lofty  chambers ; — but  where  did  they 
find  the  Roman  sentinel  ?  They  found  him  standing  at 
the  city  gate,  with  his  hand  still  grasping  the  war  weapon, 
where  he  had  been  placed  by  his  captain.  And  there — 
while  the  heavens  threatened  him, — there,  while  the  earth 
shook  beneath  him, — there,  while  the  lava  stream  rolled, 
he  had  stood  at  his  post,  and  there  after  a  thousand  years 
was  he  found. 

So  let  Christians  stand  to  their  duty,  in  the  post  at 
which  their  Captain  has  placed  them. 

YOUNG,  THE. 

"All  the  'trees  of  righteousness'  are  transplanted,  but 
it  is  a  solemn  thought,  how  very  few  old  trees  are  trans- 
planted— the  greatest  number  of  transplants  are  among 
the  young." — J.  H.  Evans. 

Branches  may  be  trained — but  not  the  trunk. 

A  child  when  asked  why  a  certain  tree  grew  crooked, 
gave  a  very  beautiful  answer, — "  Somebody  trod  upon  it, 
I  suppose,  when  it  was  a  little  fellow."" 

"  The  Hebrew  word  which  signifies  a  chosen  person 


456  ILLUSTRATIVE  GATHERINGS. 

is  the  same  that  is  commonly  used  throughout  the  Scrip- 
tures to  signify  also  a  young  person.  It  seems  the  Lord 
would  have  young  people  to  be  a  choice  people,  a  chosen 
generation,  a  peculiar  people — children  (as  is  said  in 
Daniel)  that  may  be  able  to  stand  before  the  Lord  and 
King  of  the  whole  earth." — Crossman, 

"  The  morning  hour,"  the  proverb  says,  "  has  gold 
in  its  mouth." 

"I  have  often  thought,"  says  Coleridge,  "what  a 
melancholy  world  this  would  be  without  children,  and 
wha^an  inhuman  world  without  the  aged." 

"Youth,"  says  Sir  W.  Scott, — "when  thought  is 
speech,  and  speech  is  truth  !"  Alas  !  a  higher  authority 
gives  a  less  glowing  picture.     See  Psa.  Iviii.  3. 

"When  I  am  a  man" — is  the  poetry  of  childhood; 
"when  I  was  young" — is  the  poetry  of  old  age. 

The  worst  orphans  are  those  that  have  wicked'  pa- 
rents alive. 

Did  you  ever  watch  an  old  man  learning  to  write  ? 
How  stiff  his  joints  were !  What  labor  it  was  to  him ! 
How  different  to  the  supple  fingers  of  boys  and  girls. 

Christ  took  a  special  interest  in  dear  children :  beside 
those  he  took  up  in  his  arms  to  bless,  how  many  were 
they  on  whom  his  miracles  of  love  were  wrought !  You 
remember  the  daughter  of  Jairus — the  son  of  the  noble- 
man— the  widow's  son  of  Nain — the  daughter  of  the 
Syrophoenician  woman — the  son  of  the  father  who  came 
to  Christ. 

Importance  of  early  training. — "  The  human  soul 
in  youth,"  says  Ruskin,  "is  not  a  machine  of  which  you 
can  polish  the  cogs  with  any  kelp  or  brick  dust  near  at 
hand,  and  having  got  it  into   working  order,  and  good, 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  457 

empty,  and  oiled  serviceableness,  start  your  immortal 
locomotive  at  twenty-five  years  old  or  thirty,  express  for 
the  Strait  Gate,  on  the  Narrow  Road.  The  whole  period 
of  youth  is  one  essentially  of  formation,  edification,  in- 
struction. I  use  the  words  with  their  weight  in  them,  in 
taking  of  stores,  establishment  in  vital  habits,  hopes  and 
faiths.  There  is  not  an  hour  of  it  but  is  trembling  with 
destinies — not  a  moment  of  which  once  passed,  the  ap- 
pointed work  can  ever  be  done  again,  or  the  neglected 
blow  struck  on  the  cold  iron.  Take  your  vase  of  Venice 
glass  out  of  the  furnace,  and  strew  chaff  over  it,  in  its 
transparent  heat,  and  recover  that  to  its  clearness  and 
envied  glory  when  the  north  wind  has  blown  upon  it ; 
but  do  not  think  to  strew  chafi"  over  the  child  fresh  from 
God's  presence,  and  to  bring  heavenly  colors  back  to  him, 
at  least  in  this  world." 

The  brave  boy. — Between  twenty  and  thirty  years  ago, 
three  little  English  boys  were  amusing  themselves  together 
in  a  wood  lodge,  one  summer  forenoon.  Suddenly  one 
of  them  looked  grave  and  left  ofi"  playing !  "I  have 
forgotten  something,"  he  said;  ''I  forgot  to  say  my 
prayers  this  morning  ;  you  must  wait  for  me."  He  went 
quietly  into  a  corner  of  the  place  they  were  in,  knelt 
down,  and  reverently  repeated  his  morning  prayer.  Then 
he  returned  to  the  others,  and  was  soon  merrily  engaged 
in  play  again. 

That  was  a  brave  boy,  who  feared  God  rather  than 
man,  and  who,  when  he  felt  he  had  neglected  his  duty  to 
him,  made  no  delay  in  repairing  the  fault,  without  being 
afraid  of  how  his  companions  would  wonder  or  laugh  at 
him. 

I  do  not  know  what  they  said  or  thought  at  the  time. 

.^9 


458  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  N 

but  they  never  forgot  the  incident,  and  told  it  long  after- 
wards. This  brave  boy  grew  up  to  be  a  brave  man.  He 
was  the  gallant  Captain  Hammond,  who  nobly  served  his 
Queen  and  country,  till  he  fell  headlong  leading  on  his 
men  to  the  attack  on  the  Redan,  at  the  siege  of  Sebasto- 
pol.  He  was  a  faithful  soldier  to  his  earthly  sovereign, 
but  better  still,  a  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ,  never 
ashamed  of  his  service,  ever  ready  to  fight  his  battles. 

Feed  my  lambs. — It  was  the  custom  of  St.  Augustine 
often  to  stop  in  his  sermon  and  address  the  young — 
"Young  people,  this  is  for  you  !" 

True  filial  fear. — "A  boy  was  once  tempted  by 
some  of  his  companions,  to  pluck  some  ripe  cherries  from 
a  tree  which  his  father  had  forbidden  him  to  touch.  ^  You 
need  not  be  afraid,'  said  they;  ^for  if  your  father  should 
find  out  that  you  had  them,  he  is  so  kind,  that  he  will  not 
hurt  you.'  ^  That  is  the  very  reason,'  replied  the  boy, 
'  why  I  would  not  touch  them.  It  is  true  my  father  may 
not  hurt  me ;  yet  my  disobedience,  I  know,  would  hurt 
my  father ;  and  that  would  be  worse  to  me  than  anything 
else.'     Was  not  this  an  excellent  reason?" 

"I  TOOK  care  of  the  LAMBS." — A  gentleman  was 
walking  over  his  farm  with  a  friend,  exhibiting  his  crops, 
herds  of  cattle,  and  flocks  of  sheep,  with  all  of  which  his 
friend  was  highly  pleased,  but  with  nothing  so  much  as 
his  splendid  sheep.  He  had  seen  the  same  breed  fre- 
quently before,  but  had  never  seen  such  noble  specimens 
■ — and  with  great  earnestness  he  asked  how  he  had  suc- 
ceeded in  rearing  such  flocks.  His  simple  answer  was, 
"I  take  care  of  my  lambs,  sir."  Here  was  all  the  se- 
cret— Ji.e  took  care  of  the  lambs  ! 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS.  459 

ZEAL 

—  "is  fit  for  wise  men,  but  flourishes  chiefly  among 
fools." — Tillotson. 

The  CENTRIFUGAL  FORCE  of  Christian  activity,  must 
be  balanced  by  the  centripetal  force  of  communion  with 
God. 

"Let  us  get  heat,  by  living  near  the  furnace  of  love." 
— Lady  Powerscourt. 

"  Dogs  seldom  bark  at  a  man  that  ambles  a  softly  fair 
pace,  but  if  he  once  set  spurs  to  his  horse  and  fall  a  gal- 
loping (though  his  errand  be  of  importance),  then  they 
bark  and  fly  at  him ;  and  thus  they  do  at  the  moon,  not 
so  much  because  she  shines,  for  that  they  always  see,  but 
because  by  reason  of  the  clouds  hurried  under  by  the 
winds,  she  seems  to  run  faster  than  ordinary.  And  thus 
if  any  man  do  but  pluck  up  his  spirits  in  God's  ser- 
vice, and  run  in  the  way  of  his  commandments,  it  is 
Jehu's  furious  march  presently,  and  he  shall  meet  with 
many  a  scofi"  by  the  way,  that  runneth  with  more  speed 
than  ordinary." — Spencer. 

Going  too  far. — "  I  saw  two  ride  a  race  for  a  silver 
cup ;  he  who  won  it  outran  the  post  many  paces ;  indeejl, 
he  could  not  stop  his  horse  in  his  full  career,  and  there- 
fore was  fain  to  run  beyond  the  post,  or  else  he  had 
never  come  soon  enough  unto  it.  But  presently  after, 
when  he  had  won  the  wager,  he  reined  his  horse  back 
igain,  and  softly  returned  to  the  post,  where  from  the 
judges  of  the  match  he  received  the  cup,  the  reward  of 
his  victory.  Can  we  not  think  of  many  who  have  de- 
signed a  good  mark  to  themselves,  and  propounded  pious 
ends  and  aims  in  their  intentions  ?  But  query  whether 
in  pursuance  thereof  they  were  not  forced  to  outrun  the 


460  ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS. 

mark  (so  impossible  is  it  to  stop  a  soul  in  the  full  career 
thereof),  and  whether  they  did  not  in  some  things  overdo 
and  exceed  what  they  intended.  If  so,  it  is  neither  sin 
nor  shame,  but  honorable  and  profitable  for  such  persons 
(sensible  of  their  own  over-activity)  even  fairly  to  go 
back  to  the  post  which  they  have  outrun,  and  now 
calmly  to  demonstrate  to  the  whole  world,  that  this  only 
is  the  true  and  full  measure  of  their  judgments,  whilst 
the  rest  was  but  the  superfluity  of  their  passions." — T, 
Fuller. 

The  Spartan  soldiers  going  forth  to  battle  used 
bravely  to  promise  to  return,  either  with  their  shields  or 
on  them. 

Crcesus's  son. — It  is  reported  of  him  that  he  was 
dumb ;  but  seeing  one  about  to  kill  his  father,  his  zeal 
was  so  great  that  it  loosed  his  tongue,  and  he  cried  out, 
"  Will  you  kill  Croesus  ?"  Oh !  how  a  gushing  zeal 
enlarges  the  heart  and  loosens  the  tongue !  Many  a 
child  of  God  that  could  not  speak,  it  hath  made  to  sing. 

May  the  experience  of  many  who  read  this  book  be 
that  of  the  Rev.  D.  Sandeman, — "I  find  almost  in- 
variably, that  the  more  I  am  engaged  in  doing  some- 
thing for  the  good  of  others,  the  happier  I  am  in  my 
mind."  The  secret  of  his  burning  zeal  was  the  three- 
fold motto,  which  he  took  from  the  day  of  his  con- 
version,— 

"looking    UNTO   JESUS." 

"MY   GRACE   IS    SUFFICIENT   FOR   THEE." 

"WHOSE   I   AM,    AND   WHOM    I   SERVE." 


INDEX. 


•#*  The  refe»ences  marked  *  are  the  main  articles  in  the  book ;  the  rest  are  separate 
paragraphs. 


Abilities*  9. 

Advent,  Second*  10. 

.ffisop's  fables  440,  454. 

Afflictions*  11 ;  Benefit  of  96;  comfort  in 

159. 
Ajax,  crew  of  the  38. 
Alexander  41 ;    and  hie    namesake    60 : 

Hope  133 ;  and  the  physician  438. 
All  the  difference  358. 
Almost  Christians*  15. 
Alva,  Duke  of  210. 
Amusements*  17. 
Anchorite  291. 
Angel  and  Hermit  342. 
Answers  to  prayer*  18. 
Antinomian  302. 
Antiquity*  18. 
Apostasy.    See  Backsliding. 
Arago  277. 

Architect,  the  crafty  118. 
Ashes  of  an  oak  74. 
Assize  Trumpet  10. 
Assurance*    22;    Mr.  Lyford    163.      See 

Death. 
Athenian  Senator  56. 
Augustine  21,  403,  435. 

Bacchus,  Dr.  149. 

Backsliding*  25.    See  Restoration. 

Banyan  tree  97. 

Baxter,  Richard  176,  287. 

Believers.    See  Christians. 

Benares  129. 

Beveridge,  Bishop  403. 

Beza  276. 

Bible.    See  Scriptures. 

Bickersteth,  Rev.  E.  203,  292. 

Bird,  caged  412 ;  see  also  325. 

Bird  on  the  mast  133. 

Bird,  chased  56. 

Blacksmith,  the  398. 

Blind  child  121. 

Blindness,  spiritual*  28. 

Blood  of  Christ*  30. 

Bolduess.    Se&  Courage. 

Book  of  command  247. 

Books  that  die  380. 

Broken  heart*  33. 

Biothtrs,  the  three  358, 

39  * 


Caernarvon  Castle  31. 

Calling,  effectual*  35,  89. 

Candle  newly  lighted  92. 

Captain  of  Salvation*  37,  65. 

Care*  39. 

Carnal  mind*  41. 

Carter,  Rev.  T.  84.  * 

Cecil,  Rev.  R.  345. 

Chalmers,  Dr.  309. 

Charles  V.  86. 

Chatham,  Lord  445. 

Chief,  Highland  38. 

Christ*  42.  See  Blood  of.  Coming  to.  Fol- 
lowing, Fullness  of.  Example  of  213 ; 
death  of  76 ;  for  every  man  79 ;  Justice 
and  Mercy,  King.  Love  of  191. 
Righteoupness. 

Christians*  49 ;  brought  out  of  darkness 
71.  See  Matured,  Lukewarm,  Obscure 
248.    Pilgrims,  poor. 

Church,  old  82. 

Chrysostom  before  the  Emperor  65. 

Circles,  the  three  55. 

Clark,  Rev.  .lohn  321. 

Cleopatra  184. 

Coachmen,  the  three  396. 

Colors  13,  34. 

Columbus  435. 

Comfort  40. 

Coming  to  Christ*  54. 

Commandment,  tenth  70 ;  eleventh  202. 

Communion,  Christian  149  (Miss  Graham). 
See  Love,  Brotherly. 

Communion  with  God*  57. 

Compass  weed  100. 

Consistency*  59.    See  Example. 

Conversion*  60 ;  aim  at  231.  f 

Conviction  15,  28. 

Courage*  64. 

Covetousness*  67;  reproved  318.  Set 
Riches. 

Croesus's  son  460. 

Crooked  stick  248. 

(5coss-bearing*  70  ;  Philpot  159. 

Cross  of  Christ  13,  44, 131  (Berridge),  25a 
See  Blood  of  Christ. 

Cups,  what  beautiful  186. 

Darkness*  71. 

461 


462 


INDEX. 


Dazzled  sight  216. 
Death*  72     See  Eternity. 
Death-beds    of    backsliders    28;    at    the 
1         eleventh  hour  37. 
DeKtor  and  baiiiff  384. 
Decision  306.    See  Indecision. 
Delay.    See.  Procrastination. 
Denials,  God's*  81 
Depravity*  81. 
Diamond  71. 
Difficulties  100, 
Diligence*  83. 
Diogenes  143. 
Dispensations*  248. 

Divisions  in  the  Church*  84.    See  Union. 
Doddridge,  Dr.  288. 
Doe,  the  one-eyed  455. 
**  Does  you  love  God !"  192. 
Door,  lost  at  the  17. 

Drawing,  Divine*  85.    See  Effectual  Call- 
ing. 
Drummer  boy  87. 
Duty*  87  ;  Highland  Chiet  38. 

Early  rising  429. 
Echoes  20,  137, 146. 
Edwards,  President  58. 
Ejaculatory  prayer*  89. 
Elder  tree  212. 
Elizabeth,  Queen  431,  444. 

Princess  349. 

Enemies,  Loving*  89 
Ennui,  90. 
Envy*  90. 

Erskine,  Rev.  E.  78. 
Eternitv*  92, 129. 
Example*  94,  of  Christ  213. 
Experience*  96. 

Faith*  97  ;  and  hope  132 ;  the  lowest  161 ; 
presumption  299 ;  reason  328  ;  repent- 
ance 341 ;  unbelief  446. 

Fall  of  man*  101.    See  Depravity. 

Fallen  tree  26. 

Falls  of  believers*  103. 

Fan.  Christ  a  13. 

Father's  word  100 ;  one  Father  200. 

Fear,  filial  458.    See  Cou.-age. 

Finger-post,  broken  264. 

"  Five  minutes  in  glory"  79. 

Flavel,  Kev.  J.  212. 

Flowers,  crushed  81 ;  the  fatal  398. 

Following  Christ*103. 

Folly*  105,  347  :  of  covetousness  67. 

Forbearance*  107. 

Forgiveness  of  sin.    See  Pardon. 

Forgiving  injuries.  See  Enemies.  Meek- 
ness.   "  I  never  forget"  217. 

Formality*  108. 

Foster,  Rev.  J.  298. 

Franklin,  Dr.  113. 

Freeness  of  salvation*  109.  , 

Freewill*  110. 

Fniitfulness*  112. 

Full  dress  216. 

Fullness  of  Christ  114. 

Qarden  trees  11. 


Gardiner,  Col.  185. 

Gentleness*  116. 

George  III.  185. 

Gibraltar  soldier  82. 

Gifts.    See  Abilities. 

Glencroe,  Piiss  of  348. 

Glenorchy,  Lady  119. 

Glorifying  God*  117. 

Goethe  72. 

Gold  69, 128, 143. 

Gospel  in  Christ  43.    See  Law  and  Gospel, 

Gottlieb,  old  208. 

Gouge,  Mr.  268. 

Grace*  119,  88.    &e  Niture.    Root  of  99; 

no  merit  99. 
Graham,  Miss  149. 
Grave.    See  Death,  Resurrection. 
Gregory  226. 
Grimaldi  283. 
Grimshaw,  Rev.  W.  77. 
Guidance.    See  Path  of  Providence. 

Hale,  Sir  M.  213,  392. 

Half  Christian  15. 

Hamilton,  llev.  R.  W.  78. 

Hammond,  Captain  457. 

Hands,  beautiful  175. 

Happiness*    121 ;     Mr.     Grimshaw    77 ; 

Henry  58.    See  Joy. 
Happy  Nancy  439. 
Hearing  the  word*  124. 
Heart.    See  Broken  33 ;  Christ  in  the  45. 
Heaven*  126.    (Sfec  Meetness  for.    Achild'i 

notion  of  327. 
Help,  Divine*  130. 
Henry,  Matthew  28,  58,  213. 
Herbl-rt,  George  95. 
Hermit  and  the  Angel  342. 
Hervey,  Rev.  J.  292,  386. 
Hewiteon,  Rev.  W.  H.  165,  303. 
Highland  chief  38. 
Ilighliind  cottager  45. 
Holmfirth  flood  142. 
Hood,  Thomas  283. 
Hooker,  Richard  80. 
Hook,  Theodore  283. 
Hooper,  Bishop  66. 
Hoopoo,  Thomas  197. 

Hope*  121 ;  of  heaven  16 ;  assurance  of  Sii 
Hour-glass  429,  430. 
Howels,  Mr.  321. 
Human  nature  of  Christ*  134. 
Humiliation*  136. 
Humility.    <SIe«  Pride. 

Idleness.    See  Diligence. 

"  I'd  go  without  pushing"  56. 

Idolatry,  spiritual*  139. 

Ignorance.    See  Blindness. 

» I'm  lost"  309. 

Immanuel  159. 

Indecision*  140. 

Indian  boy  381. 

Industry.    See  Diligence. 

Influence*  143. 

Ingratitude*  145. 

Innocence,  picture  of  83.  ' 

luteroession  of  Christ*  146. 


INDEX. 


463 


Intercessory  prayer*  148. 

Jacobs,  Rev.  B.  404. 

Jerome  of  Prague  66. 

Jesus  Christ's  man  54. 

Jews*  151, 107. 

Johnson,  Dr.  445. 

Joy*  157.    See  Happiness.    Heaven 

Judas  tree  395. 

Judson,  Dr.  54, 79, 104, 150,  378. 

Julian  165. 

Justice  and  mercy*  159. 

Justification*    161.     See    Righteo 

Sanctification. 
Just  missing  the  rope  17. 

Kaffir  Christian  89. 
Keep  the  footpath  87. 
Kenilworth  Castle  435. 
Kilpin,  Rev.  S.  333. 
Kilstein  416. 
King,  Christ  a*  163. 
Knowledge*  165.    See  Folly. 
Knox,  John  67,134. 
Krishnu  Pul  197. 


"  Language  of  Canaan"  415. 

Latimer  '25,  67, 164, 182. 

Law  and  Gospel*  170.    See  Old  Testament 

Dispensation 
Leadings.    See  Drawing. 
Leighton  212,  280. 
Lemon  peel  297. 
Leper  hospital  201. 
Liars*  172. 
Liberality*  173. 
Liberty*  177. 
Life,  spiritual*  179. 
Light,  spiritual*  180, 128 ;  light  bearers  54. 

See  Darkness. 
Lighthouse-keeper  181. 
Looking-glass  172. 
"  Lord  of  Hosts"  37. 
Lord's  supper*  182. 
Love*  188;  of  God*  189;  to  God*  191; 

brotherly*  199 ;  "  and  be  silent"  392 ; 

mixing  the  cup  14 ;  of  enemies  89. 
Lukewarmness*  204. 
Luther  67,  77, 148,  318. 
"  Lux  lucet  in  tenebris"  182. 

Mad,  "Religion  makes  people"  35.  See 
Folly. 

Mad  traveller  284. 

Magnet  100. 

Mahomet  and  the  camel  209. 

Martyn,  Rev.  H.  59, 117, 431. 

Mather,  Rev.  C.  89,  403,  431. 

Matured  Christians*  209. 

Means,  using  the*  208. 

Meekness*  210.  See  Enemies.  Forbear- 
ance. 

Meetness  for  heaven*  214. 

Melancthon  77,  84. 

Memory*  217,  253. 

Mercy  of  God*  219,  36.  See  Justice  and 
Mercy. 

Mercies*  225,  20.    See  Ingratitude.  Praise. 


Merit,  no  99.    5fee  Grace. 

Midas  69. 

Mill,  the  425. 

Ministers*  228. 

Miracles*  333.    See  Jews  162. 

Mirth,  end  of  282. 

Moderation*  234. 

Moment  missed  142. 

Morality*  235 

More,  Sir  T.  322.  , 

Mortification  of  sin*  237. 

"  Mother  is  dead"  308. 

Moths,  to  keep  out  390. 

Motives*  239. 

Murmuring*  240. 

"  My  beloved  is  mine"  46. 

Mysteries*  240. 

Namacqua  girl  198. 
"Name,  none  other"  48. 
Napoleon  317. 
Narrow  escapes  315. 
Nations*  243. 
Nature  and  grace*  244. 
Navarre,  King  of  205. 
Nearness  to  Christ  57. 
Negro,  pious  415. 
New  shoes  187. 
Newton,  Sir  I.  278,  426. 

Oak,  ashes  of  74. 
Obedience*  246. 
Obscure  Christians*  248. 
Oglethorpe,  General  89. 
Old  Christians  207. 
Old  Gottlieb  208. 
Old  slave  122. 
Old  Testament  250. 
Oleaster  112. 
Olive  112. 
Olney  thresher  239. 
Omission,  sins  of*  252. 
"  Once  too  often"  107. 
Order*  253. 
Ordinances*  254. 

Painter  and  Death  76. 
Palestine  152. 

Pardon*  371.    See  Assurance  of  24. 
Path  of  providence*  262. 
Patience,  Divine*  264. 
Christian*  265. 


Patrick,  St.,  priiyer  of  46. 

Payson,  Dr.  58. 

Peace,*  false  268 ;  true*  269.    See  Quarreli 

ling.    Rev.  C.  Simeon  159. 
Pearce,  Rev.  S.  32. 
Persecution*  274. 
Pereeverance*  277. 
Pharisee  described  385. 
Pictures,  the  two  82. 
Picture,  the  deceptive  76. 
Pilgrims,  believers*  279 
Pitcher,  fable  of  21. 
Planks,  the  two  388. 
Pleasure*  281.  .  I  J  <>C 

Pompeii,  sentinel  at  45:1^^—-    *-f    w    "^ 
Poor  Christians*  286,  53^ 


i64 


INDEX. 


Praise*  288.    5i!«  Ingratitude. 

Pratt,  Rev.  J.  139. 

Prayer*  293.    See  Answers  to.    Ejacular 

tory.    Intercessory. 
Presumption*  299.    See  Security. 
Pride*  300.    See  Humiliation. 
Prideaux,  Dean  287. 
Privileges,  Christian*  302. 
Procrastination*  303. 
Promises,  God's*  311. 
Providence*  313.    See  Path  of  Providence. 

Overruling  276 ;  dusky  colors  13. 

Quarrelling*  320.    See  Peace.    R'X5oncilia- 

tion.    Enemies.    Forbearance. 
Queen  and  the  Highland  cottager  45. 
Quietness*  322. 

Ragged-school  boy  94. 

Reason  and  faith*  328. 

Reconciliation*  329. 

Redemption*  334. 

Rees,  Rev.  John  47. 

Reformation*  338. 

Helios,  the  best  379. 

Repentance*  339.  See  Humiliation.  Pardon. 

Reproving  sin*  344;  requires  consistency 

60.    See  Swearing. 
Resignation.     See  Submission.     Comfort 

in  suftering  159. 
Rest*  347  :  Cluist  the  only  true  rest  44 ;  in 

Christ  383.    See  Quietness. 
Restoration*  350.    See  Backsliding. 
Resurrection*  351. 

Riches*  355.    See  care.    Covetousneaa. 
Richmond,  Rev.  L.  79, 107. 
Ridley,  Bishop  273. 
"Right  about,  face"  61. 
Righteousness*  360.    See  Justification. 
Ring,  gold  315. 
Robin,  the  413. 
Bochester,  Ix^rd  154. 
Rock,  Christ  42;  sinking  under  46. 
Rose,  discolored  174;  in  the  bosom  74. 
Rosemary,  why  thrown  into  graves  354. 
Runaway  knock  21. 

Salvation*  365.  See  Freeness  of  "None 
other  name"  47. 

Sanctification*  3C9.    Sfee  Justification. 

Saudemah,  Rev.  D.  93, 150, 185,  364,  460. 

Scott.  Kev.  T.  150. 

Scriptures*  374  ;  silence  of  392. 

Security,  too  great*  383.  &e  Presumption. 

Selfishness*  389. 

Self-righteousness*  384.         ,^  ,, 

Sentinel,  Roman  452.      -V     1     '-' 

Shenstone  283. 

Sherman,  Rev.  J.  239. 

Silence*  392 ;  in  reproving 347.  See  Quiet- 
ness. 

Simeon,  Rev.  C.  159,  387. 

Sin*  395.  See  Depravity,  Fall,  Falls  of 
Believers,  Folly,  Mortification,  Par- 
don, &c. 

Sitting  still,  320.  rps 

"  Sitting  under  his  shadow"  38:ft^      ( I,? 

Blander*^//^,  ^,  -^      v^ 


Slave,  the  old  122;  girl  336. 

Smelling-bottle,  open  424. 

Snowball  40. 

Soft  pillow,  the  347. 

Soldier,  the  dying  273;  Welsh  31;  GibraV 

tar  32 ;  old  61 ;  at  St.  Cloud  397. 
Spirit,  Holy*  403. 
Stealing*  408. 
Stewart,  Rev.  J.  H.  292. 
Submission*  409 ;  comfort  in  suffering  159. 
Swearing  reproved*  414. 
Sympatliy*  416.    <Sfe<j  Help. 

Taylor,  Jeremy  291. 

Temptation  417. 

Thankfulness.  See  Mercies.  Praise.  In- 
gratitude. 

Thornhill,  Sir  J.  363. 

Tliought*  425. 

Tide,  the  25,  64. 

Time*  426 ;  the  watchmaker's  question  27  ; 
See  Procrastination. 

Timothy  the  Christian  teacher*  198. 

Tongue  431.  See  Silence.  Slander.  Swearing. 

Tree,  the  fallen  26 ;  traveller's  266. 

Trifles*  434.    &e  Care. 

Trinity,  the*  435. 

Trouble.    See  Care. 

Trumpet,  assizes  10. 

Trusting  God*  437.  See  A  Father's  word  100. 

Truth*  441. 

Unbelief*  446.    &e  Faith. 

Union*  447.    <Skc  Divisions.    Envy.    Quar^ 

relling.    Intercessory  prayer. 
Usher,  Archbishop  202,  252,  872. 

Valley  of  Humiliation  137. 
Vanity*  460.    See  Pleasure.    Folly. 
Venn,  Rev.  H.  292,  321. 
Vicars,  Captain  H.  31. 
Vow,  Peai-ce's  31. 

"  Waiting,  just"  208. 

Waldensian  Church  102. 

Warburton  and  Tucker  185. 

Ward,  Thomas  79. 

Warfare,  Christian*  451. 

Warming  railway  carriages  176. 

Watchfulness*  453. 

Watchmaker's  question,  27. 

Weed,  compass  100. 

Weeds  in  rivers  39. 

Wellington,  Duke  of  37. 

Wesley,  Rev.  J.  278. 

Wet  Sundays  317. 

"  When  shall  I  get  wings?"  79. 

Whitefield,  Mr.  187. 

Whitefield,  Rev.  G.  347. 

Will.    See  Freewill. 

Williams,  Rev.  J.  488. 

Wilson,  Jeanie  233.  ' 

Wolf.  Dying  387. 

Wrong  side,  judging  by  317. 

Young*  453. 

Zeal*  459.    &e  Diligence.    Love. 


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